CarVerify

Free Car Check

M3 VDW

1996 BMW M3

Blue Petrol 3201cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires1 May 2026
Tests25 (16 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate64%

Mileage

172,164 mi
Last recorded172,164 miles
Recorded on12 Apr 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW M3100,666 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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 VDW
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1996
ColourBlue
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

16 pass 9 fail
Pass 12 Apr 2025 172,164 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2024 170,242 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 19 Apr 2024 170,242 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 2 May 2023 168,544 miles

Nearside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 27 Feb 2021 165,637 miles

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 27 Feb 2021 165,632 miles

Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system Centre rear in front of fuel tank (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Dec 2020 165,597 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Fail 28 Nov 2020 165,575 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 28 Nov 2019 163,694 miles
Fail 20 Nov 2019 163,678 miles

Nearside Front Outer Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Outer Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 21 Jul 2018 163,185 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2017 162,478 miles
Pass 16 Apr 2016 159,891 miles

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s o/s front pitted/corroded (3.5.1i)

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s o/s front pitted/corroded (3.5.1i)

n/s o/s front suspension wishbone rear bushes slightly splitting

various slight corrosion to vehicle underbody/suspension

Fail 11 Apr 2016 159,889 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded n/s o/s front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

Brake pipe excessively corroded n/s o/s rear (3.6.B.2c)

Exhaust emits visible black smoke at idle (7.3.A.2b)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar missing outer link pin (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Seat belt insecurely fixed to the vehicles structure n/s o/s rear (5.2.1a)

Statutory seat belt missing n/s o/s rear seat belt stork (5.1.1)

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s o/s front pitted/corroded (3.5.1i)

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s o/s front pitted/corroded (3.5.1i)

n/s o/s front suspension wishbone rear bushes slightly splitting

various slight corrosion to vehicle underbody/suspension

Pass 10 Apr 2015 159,698 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2013 154,202 miles
Fail 17 Apr 2013 154,201 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Outer Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 14 Mar 2012 143,731 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2011 134,955 miles
Pass 16 Feb 2010 126,213 miles

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)

Fail 12 Feb 2010 126,213 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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)

Fail 23 Feb 2009 120,060 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 23 Feb 2009 120,060 miles
Pass 29 Aug 2007 103,554 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2006 94,756 miles

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 VDW is a 1996 BMW M3 in Blue with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64%.

Across all 1996 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.5% with a typical mileage of 100,666 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 VDW, 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 30 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 VDW?

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

What year was M3 VDW registered?

M3 VDW is a 1996 BMW M3, first registered on 6 August 1996.

Is M3 VDW safe to buy?

The MOT history for M3 VDW shows 25 tests with a 64% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M3 VDW 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 VDW. 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.