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P181 EPC

1997 BMW Z3

Silver Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Mar 2027
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

58,121 mi
Last recorded58,121 miles
Recorded on11 Mar 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

RegistrationP181 EPC
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

20 pass 7 fail
Pass 11 Mar 2026 58,121 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Nov 2024 54,346 miles

Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened and various suspension and brake components (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 7 Nov 2024 54,345 miles

Front Shock absorbers has negligible damping effect Both (5.3.2 (d))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened and various suspension and brake components (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 23 Oct 2023 50,534 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 31 Oct 2022 48,064 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Both front tyres worn on inner edges (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule Both (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Service brake binding but not excessively Both rear brakes slightly binding (1.2.1 (f))

Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement O/S/F lower arm rear bush worn, advise replacement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Vehicle under-body, subframes/axles, and various brake and suspension components corroded

Pass 4 Nov 2021 46,643 miles

All flexi brake hose furrells are corroded

Corrosion to front and rear suspension components

Wear in o/sf lower arm bush and ball joint

Pass 3 Nov 2020 45,679 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Nov 2019 45,049 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule SEVERAL HOSES. (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Front FRONT TYRES WEARING ON INNER EDGES.

Fail 8 Nov 2019 45,048 miles

Nearside Front Outer Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn NEARSIDE FRONT BOTTOM BALL JOINT WORN. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule SEVERAL HOSES. (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Front FRONT TYRES WEARING ON INNER EDGES.

Pass 14 Nov 2018 43,869 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule MOST HOSES (1.1.12 (f) (i))

SUSPENSION ETC CORRODED

Pass 31 Oct 2017 42,587 miles

Nearside wiper blade deteriorated

Pass 18 Nov 2016 41,428 miles
Pass 10 Nov 2015 40,174 miles

oil leak

Fail 10 Nov 2015 40,174 miles

Offside Rear 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)

oil leak

Fail 11 Nov 2014 38,611 miles

Offside Rear Brake cable insecure (3.5.1d)

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 11 Nov 2014 38,611 miles

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 28 Nov 2013 35,713 miles

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

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

Fail 27 Nov 2013 35,713 miles

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

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

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

Pass 10 Dec 2012 33,064 miles

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

Pass 23 Nov 2011 30,421 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)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

front brake discs worn

Fail 22 Nov 2011 30,420 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

front brake discs worn

Pass 14 Dec 2010 28,959 miles

Nail in nearside front tyre

Nearside front tyre cracking on sidewall

Offside Front Steering column shaft slightly corroded but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Pass 8 Jul 2009 26,870 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 16 Jun 2008 33,555 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2007 25,344 miles
Fail 26 Jun 2007 25,344 miles

Front registration plate character(s) likely to be misread (6.3.4b)

Pass 15 May 2006 23,636 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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P181 EPC is a 1997 BMW Z3 in Silver with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

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 P181 EPC, 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 P181 EPC?

You can check the full history of P181 EPC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P181 EPC registered?

P181 EPC is a 1997 BMW Z3, first registered on 25 June 1997.

Is P181 EPC safe to buy?

The MOT history for P181 EPC shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P181 EPC 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 P181 EPC. 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.