CarVerify

Free Car Check

M3 SWY

1997 BMW M3

Maroon Petrol 3201cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Jun 2027
Tests21 (13 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate61.9%

Mileage

126,020 mi
Last recorded126,020 miles
Recorded on11 Jun 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationM3 SWY
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourMaroon
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,201cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

13 pass 8 fail
Pass 11 Jun 2026 126,020 miles
Pass 13 Apr 2018 125,136 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded UNDERSIDE BODY

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

OFFSIDE FRONT JACKING POINT DESTROYED BY CORROSION

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Rear registration plate faded but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 28 Mar 2018 125,133 miles

Bonnet retaining device ineffective (8.4.2)

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded OUTER SILL/JACKING POINT (2.4.A.3)

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Fuel Pipe/s corroded UNDERSIDE BODY

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

OFFSIDE FRONT JACKING POINT DESTROYED BY CORROSION

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Rear registration plate faded but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 27 Mar 2017 123,623 miles

OFFSIDE REAR JACKING POINT HOLED/CORRODED

Fail 24 Mar 2017 123,620 miles

Offside Front coil spring broken FOUR PINKS (2.4.C.1a)

OFFSIDE REAR JACKING POINT HOLED/CORRODED

Offside Rear Nail in tyre

Pass 6 Apr 2016 121,975 miles

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

fuel pipes corroded

oil leak

Fail 4 Apr 2016 121,970 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

fuel pipes corroded

oil leak

Pass 7 Nov 2014 121,793 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Fail 7 Nov 2014 121,785 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 27 Jun 2013 119,885 miles

Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Oil leak

Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 28 Jun 2012 118,032 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 29 Jun 2011 116,880 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Fail 29 Jun 2011 116,876 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Pass 15 Jun 2010 113,539 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2009 111,298 miles
Fail 29 Jun 2009 111,298 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 30 Jun 2008 109,957 miles
Fail 30 Jun 2008 109,949 miles

Nearside Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 21 Jul 2007 105,950 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2006 102,923 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Fail 3 Aug 2006 102,923 miles

Offside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

How Reliable is the BMW M3?

Based on 440,678 MOT tests across 34,038 vehicles.

80.8%
Pass Rate
3,682
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
34,038
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 14,421
Brake pipe excessively corroded 7,386
coil spring incomplete 5,157
coil spring fractured 4,494
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,944
Full BMW M3 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

M3 SWY is a 1997 BMW M3 in Maroon with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.9%.

Across all 1997 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.9% with a typical mileage of 96,985 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a BMW M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying M3 SWY, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW M3 typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 29 years old, this BMW M3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of M3 SWY?

You can check the full history of M3 SWY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M3 SWY registered?

M3 SWY is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is M3 SWY safe to buy?

The MOT history for M3 SWY shows 21 tests with a 61.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M3 SWY have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on M3 SWY. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.