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N769 ESF

1996 BMW M3

Purple Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Aug 2026
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

161,981 mi
Last recorded161,981 miles
Recorded on21 Aug 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW M3100,666 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationN769 ESF
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1996
ColourPurple
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

19 pass 6 fail
Pass 21 Aug 2025 161,981 miles
Pass 22 Apr 2024 160,489 miles

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

Offside Front Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 28 Apr 2023 159,583 miles
Pass 13 Apr 2022 158,490 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2021 157,070 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2019 156,107 miles
Pass 12 Nov 2018 154,833 miles

Front Both Bump-stops perished and worn

Offside Rear Bump-stop perished and worn

Pass 17 Apr 2018 153,770 miles
Fail 16 Apr 2018 153,769 miles

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear Seat belt retracting mechanism defective wont extract (5.2.5b)

Rear parking brake application slightly uneven

Pass 16 Mar 2017 152,397 miles

Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play both tie rod/rack ends (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 16 Mar 2017 152,397 miles

Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play both tie rod/rack ends (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 25 Feb 2016 151,164 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Front Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear Lower Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear secondary sidelight not working

Fail 17 Feb 2016 151,156 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Offside 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)

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

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Front Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear Lower Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear secondary sidelight not working

Pass 30 Apr 2014 149,282 miles

Oil leak

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

both rear wheel arches rusty

both under floor sills rusty

side skirts fitted

slight play in nearside steering arm

Pass 25 Apr 2013 142,426 miles

Diff oil leaks

Engine oil leaks.

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

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

Side skirts fitted

Slight play in both steering arm inner joints.

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 12 Apr 2012 135,909 miles

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 12 Apr 2012 135,909 miles
Fail 1 Apr 2012 135,871 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Fail 15 Feb 2012 135,832 miles

Nearside Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

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

Oil leak

high level brake light not working

rear no.plate delaminating

some signs of under body corrosion

Pass 5 Feb 2011 130,895 miles

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

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

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

Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 21 Jan 2010 124,234 miles

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

rear number plate starting to fade

under tray fitted

Pass 5 Jan 2009 117,159 miles

nearside front tyre worn on inner edge and very close to limit

nearside rear number plate light dim

rear metal brake pipes in poor condition

slight play in both front track rod ends

slight play in nearside rear lower suspension arm bush

slight play in steering rack

Pass 8 Jan 2008 110,807 miles

both front flexable brake hoses starting to perrish and split

both front to rear metal brake pipes starting to corrode

both rear tyres nearing limit

sideskirts fitted

undertrays fitted

Pass 8 Jan 2007 104,470 miles

Oil leak

both front flexable brake hoses starting to perrish anmd split

exhaust rusty

front to rear metal brake pipes starting to corrode

nearside front brake slightly binding

power steering pump and pipes starting to leak †

rear discs in poor condition

Pass 6 Jan 2006 98,023 miles

Offside Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

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.

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N769 ESF is a 1996 BMW M3 in Purple with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 N769 ESF, 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 N769 ESF?

You can check the full history of N769 ESF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N769 ESF registered?

N769 ESF is a 1996 BMW M3, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is N769 ESF safe to buy?

The MOT history for N769 ESF shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N769 ESF 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 N769 ESF. 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.