CarVerify

Free Car Check

P316 AHR

1997 BMW M3

Blue Petrol 3201cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Feb 2027
Tests19 (13 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate68.4%

Mileage

108,603 mi
Last recorded108,603 miles
Recorded on25 Feb 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP316 AHR
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

13 pass 6 fail
Pass 25 Feb 2026 108,603 miles

Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration (8.2.1.2 (g))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material and front all (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive diff leak (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive all underbody and inner sills corroded (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 25 Feb 2026 108,603 miles

Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration (8.2.1.2 (g))

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material and front all (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive diff leak (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive all underbody and inner sills corroded (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 27 Jun 2023 107,094 miles

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

Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration (8.2.1.2 (g))

Front Lower Power steering component has slight seepage from a component rack (2.1.5 (a))

all jacking points and both subframe corroded and all underbody

Pass 29 Aug 2017 105,574 miles

Nearside Front Indicator lens broken

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded Front to rear pipe (3.6.B.2c)

Oil under car possibly from engine

Fail 16 Aug 2017 105,537 miles

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

Nearside Front Indicator lens broken

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded Front to rear pipe (3.6.B.2c)

Oil under car possibly from engine

Pass 17 Aug 2016 104,035 miles

oil leaks

rust on underside

Fail 15 Aug 2016 104,033 miles

Direction indicators incorrect colour all four (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear Brake back plate(s) securing device excessively deteriorated (3.5.1j)

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

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

Offside Rear Brake back plate(s) securing device excessively deteriorated (3.5.1j)

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

Registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps (1.1.C.1a)

oil leaks

rust on underside

Pass 3 Aug 2015 102,065 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2014 98,401 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2013 93,953 miles
Pass 20 Aug 2012 87,955 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2012 87,950 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

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

Pass 9 Aug 2011 82,465 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2011 82,464 miles

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 9 Aug 2010 78,458 miles
Pass 20 Jun 2008 78,308 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2007 74,150 miles
Fail 31 May 2007 74,148 miles

Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Front Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

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

Pass 21 Mar 2006 68,021 miles

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

P316 AHR is a 1997 BMW M3 in Blue with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.4%.

Across all 1997 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.9% with a typical mileage of 96,985 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 M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P316 AHR, 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 29 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 P316 AHR?

You can check the full history of P316 AHR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P316 AHR registered?

P316 AHR is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P316 AHR safe to buy?

The MOT history for P316 AHR shows 19 tests with a 68.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P316 AHR 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 P316 AHR. 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.