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P161 LEC

1997 BMW Z3

Red Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Jul 2027
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

40,648 mi
Last recorded40,648 miles
Recorded on27 Jul 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW Z383,222 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP161 LEC
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,895cc

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

18 pass 4 fail
Pass 27 Jul 2026 40,648 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Pass 9 Jun 2025 40,491 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Pass 20 Jun 2024 40,282 miles
Pass 5 May 2021 39,540 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Grease (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material grease (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 29 May 2019 39,035 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 5 Jun 2018 38,288 miles
Pass 5 Jun 2017 37,755 miles

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

Pass 10 Jun 2016 37,260 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 6 Jun 2016 37,260 miles

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

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 2 Jun 2015 36,049 miles

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

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

Pass 5 Jun 2014 35,322 miles
Fail 4 Jun 2014 35,322 miles

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

Pass 3 Jun 2013 32,343 miles
Pass 29 May 2012 30,750 miles
Pass 25 May 2011 26,835 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Pass 26 May 2010 25,235 miles

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

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

Fail 3 Jun 2009 21,986 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 3 Jun 2009 21,986 miles
Fail 3 Jun 2008 18,139 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 3 Jun 2008 18,139 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2007 14,493 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2006 12,884 miles

How Reliable is the BMW Z3?

Based on 498,063 MOT tests across 26,000 vehicles.

73.2%
Pass Rate
2,128
Miles/Year
29
Year Lifespan
26,000
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 17,103
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,600
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 10,064
position lamp(s) not working 9,305
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 7,992
Full BMW Z3 reliability report

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P161 LEC is a 1997 BMW Z3 in Red with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81.8%.

Across all 1997 BMW Z3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.6% with a typical mileage of 83,222 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW Z3 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 17,103 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P161 LEC, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW Z3 typically stays on UK roads for around 29 years. At 29 years old, this BMW Z3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of P161 LEC?

You can check the full history of P161 LEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P161 LEC registered?

P161 LEC is a 1997 BMW Z3, first registered on 6 June 1997.

Is P161 LEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for P161 LEC shows 22 tests with a 81.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P161 LEC 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 P161 LEC. 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.