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P37 RCV

1997 BMW 316

Silver Petrol 1596cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Sep 2026
Tests26 (17 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate65.4%

Mileage

150,083 mi
Last recorded150,083 miles
Recorded on20 Sep 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 316102,710 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP37 RCV
MakeBMW
Model316
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

17 pass 9 fail
Pass 20 Sep 2025 150,083 miles

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

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 20 Sep 2025 150,083 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 16 Aug 2024 149,089 miles

Both outer sill panels corroded

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge at 2mm (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge at 2mm (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 13 Sep 2023 147,224 miles

Both outer sills corroded

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Fail 9 Aug 2023 147,218 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength adjacent to sub-frame area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength adjacent to sub-frame mount area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear brake pipes corroded

Rear sills corroded

Pass 18 Sep 2019 142,884 miles

Aux drive belt badly perished

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 17 Sep 2018 136,211 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 20 Sep 2017 130,857 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Rear Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Rear differential bearings noisey

Pass 21 Sep 2016 125,748 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit worn on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Outer driveshaft gaiter clip loose

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

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

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

Fail 14 Sep 2016 125,692 miles

Nearside Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear in front of fuel tank (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit worn on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Outer driveshaft gaiter clip loose

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

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

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

Pass 15 Sep 2015 120,727 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear nail in tread

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases small hole in silencer and jointing gasket / sealing ring (7.1.2)

Fail 11 Sep 2015 120,685 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear nail in tread

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases small hole in silencer and jointing gasket / sealing ring (7.1.2)

Pass 16 Sep 2014 113,339 miles

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Lower Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 4 Sep 2013 107,885 miles

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

Fail 3 Sep 2013 106,991 miles

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

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Pass 30 Aug 2012 97,152 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2011 91,207 miles
Fail 5 Sep 2011 91,180 miles

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

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

Pass 31 Aug 2010 85,386 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2010 85,249 miles

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

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

Pass 29 May 2009 76,492 miles
Fail 21 Apr 2008 65,092 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 21 Apr 2008 65,092 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2007 55,705 miles
Fail 26 Apr 2007 55,705 miles

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

front brake pads low

all tyres perished

Pass 16 May 2006 45,375 miles

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

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P37 RCV is a 1997 BMW 316 in Silver with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.4%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 P37 RCV, 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 P37 RCV?

You can check the full history of P37 RCV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P37 RCV registered?

P37 RCV is a 1997 BMW 316, first registered on 14 February 1997.

Is P37 RCV safe to buy?

The MOT history for P37 RCV shows 26 tests with a 65.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P37 RCV 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 P37 RCV. 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.