CarVerify

Free Car Check

P108 RFA

1997 BMW 316

Green Petrol 1596cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 Jan 2014
Tests16 (8 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

163,334 mi
Last recorded163,334 miles
Recorded on18 Jan 2013
Typical for 1997 BMW 316102,710 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

RegistrationP108 RFA
MakeBMW
Model316
Year1997
ColourGreen
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 8 fail
Pass 18 Jan 2013 163,334 miles
Fail 15 Jan 2013 163,324 miles

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1c)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 17 Jan 2012 159,271 miles
Fail 16 Jan 2012 159,269 miles

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

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

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

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

Pass 21 Jan 2011 154,205 miles

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

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

Fail 20 Jan 2011 154,205 miles

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

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

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

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

Pass 20 Jan 2010 150,204 miles

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

rear brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.5b)

slight underbody corrosion

Fail 18 Jan 2010 150,195 miles

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

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

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

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)

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

rear brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.5b)

slight underbody corrosion

Pass 21 Jan 2009 143,606 miles

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

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

offside front spring seat corroding

offside rear door doesnt open

rear brakes slightly out of balance

slight wear in nearside and offside front track rod ends

Fail 16 Jan 2009 143,595 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

offside front spring seat corroding

offside rear door doesnt open

rear brakes slightly out of balance

slight wear in nearside and offside front track rod ends

Pass 7 Jan 2008 136,748 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 4 Jan 2008 136,746 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Rear Exhaust mounting missing (7.1.1b)

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

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

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

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

Pass 22 Dec 2006 127,664 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Fail 21 Dec 2006 127,644 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Front 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)

Pass 6 Jan 2006 122,020 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2006 122,020 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside 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

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

P108 RFA is a 1997 BMW 316 in Green with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

Across all 1997 BMW 316 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.3% with a typical mileage of 102,710 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 P108 RFA, 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 29 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 P108 RFA?

You can check the full history of P108 RFA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P108 RFA registered?

P108 RFA is a 1997 BMW 316, first registered on 17 March 1997.

Is P108 RFA safe to buy?

The MOT history for P108 RFA shows 16 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P108 RFA 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 P108 RFA. 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.