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N278 HLP

1996 BMW 316

Blue Petrol 1596cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires2 Mar 2014
Tests13 (8 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate61.5%

Mileage

163,715 mi
Last recorded163,715 miles
Recorded on26 Feb 2013
Typical for 1996 BMW 316104,488 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationN278 HLP
MakeBMW
Model316
Year1996
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,596cc

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

8 pass 5 fail
Pass 26 Feb 2013 163,715 miles

Interior mirror missing

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside wiper poor

Slight noise from nearside rear wheel bearing

Pass 24 Feb 2012 158,034 miles

n/s and the o/s front inner suspension arm ball joint covers are starting to split

n/s and the o/s front track rod end covers are starting to split

nail in the n/s rear tyre and the tyre is low on tread

oil leak

Fail 14 Feb 2012 158,034 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid level below minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

n/s and the o/s front inner suspension arm ball joint covers are starting to split

n/s and the o/s front track rod end covers are starting to split

nail in the n/s rear tyre and the tyre is low on tread

oil leak

Pass 26 Feb 2011 153,563 miles

Centre brake light has been disconnected

Oil leak

Fail 25 Feb 2011 153,563 miles

Nearside Inner Rear Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Centre brake light has been disconnected

Oil leak

Pass 26 Feb 2010 148,433 miles
Fail 23 Feb 2010 148,406 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Front registration plate font not substantially similar to the prescribed font (6.3.4d)

Front registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct width (6.3.4a)

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

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

advise,slight wear to o/s/r tyre inside edge.

Pass 17 Feb 2009 143,060 miles

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

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

Pass 3 Mar 2008 137,329 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

nearside rear tyre is wearing on the edges.

Fail 29 Feb 2008 137,326 miles

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

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

rear brakes release unevenly (3.7.B.4)

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

nearside rear tyre is wearing on the edges.

Pass 23 Feb 2007 132,360 miles

both front brake flexihoses perishing

nail in nearside front tyre

nearside rear seat belt clasp casing damaged but still functioning correctly at time of test

offside rear brake pipe very rusty but not to excess at time of test

offside washer nozzle inoperative

parking brake lever high

slight imbalance on rear brakes

slight play found in both front lower suspension arm bushes and swivels

Fail 23 Feb 2007 132,360 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

both front brake flexihoses perishing

nail in nearside front tyre

nearside rear seat belt clasp casing damaged but still functioning correctly at time of test

offside rear brake pipe very rusty but not to excess at time of test

offside washer nozzle inoperative

parking brake lever high

slight imbalance on rear brakes

slight play found in both front lower suspension arm bushes and swivels

Pass 28 Feb 2006 127,178 miles

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

How Reliable is the BMW 316?

Based on 1,210,990 MOT tests across 108,989 vehicles.

69.2%
Pass Rate
5,781
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
108,989
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 71,150
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 70,761
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 45,241
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 39,617
parking brake recording little or no effort 33,703
Full BMW 316 reliability report

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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.

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N278 HLP is a 1996 BMW 316 in Blue with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.5%.

Across all 1996 BMW 316 models, the average MOT pass rate is 64.6% with a typical mileage of 104,488 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 316 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 71,150 recorded failures. If you're considering buying N278 HLP, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 316 typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 30 years old, this BMW 316 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of N278 HLP?

You can check the full history of N278 HLP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N278 HLP registered?

N278 HLP is a 1996 BMW 316, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is N278 HLP safe to buy?

The MOT history for N278 HLP shows 13 tests with a 61.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N278 HLP 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 N278 HLP. 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.