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P26 ELJ

1997 BMW Z3

Black Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jun 2027
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

62,165 mi
Last recorded62,165 miles
Recorded on20 May 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

RegistrationP26 ELJ
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

19 pass 4 fail
Pass 20 May 2026 62,165 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened Axle bracket (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Pass 17 Jun 2025 61,904 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 22 May 2024 60,093 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 31 May 2023 58,778 miles

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 16 Jun 2022 58,760 miles

Central Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear pipes (1.1.11 (c))

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

Rear both rear axle brackets corroded

Fail 15 Jun 2022 58,760 miles

Nearside Front Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Central Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both front to rear pipes (1.1.11 (c))

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

Rear both rear axle brackets corroded

Pass 31 Mar 2021 58,351 miles

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

Fail 29 Mar 2021 58,297 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Pass 25 Mar 2019 57,152 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 13 Apr 2018 56,706 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2017 56,012 miles

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

Pass 1 Apr 2016 55,715 miles

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

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

Pass 6 Mar 2015 54,977 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2014 54,061 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 18 Oct 2012 52,653 miles
Fail 17 Oct 2012 52,650 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 5 Oct 2011 51,060 miles

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

Front registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

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

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

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

air bag light on

cracking to front tyres

Pass 6 Oct 2010 50,051 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2009 49,360 miles
Fail 28 Sep 2009 49,352 miles

Nearside Front coil spring cracked (2.4.C.1a)

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

Pass 27 Sep 2008 47,928 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2007 44,435 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2006 42,155 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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P26 ELJ is a 1997 BMW Z3 in Black with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

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 P26 ELJ, 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 P26 ELJ?

You can check the full history of P26 ELJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P26 ELJ registered?

P26 ELJ is a 1997 BMW Z3, first registered on 24 February 1997.

Is P26 ELJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for P26 ELJ shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P26 ELJ 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 P26 ELJ. 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.