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P42 AKS

1997 BMW M3

Silver Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Jul 2027
Tests18 (14 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

130,224 mi
Last recorded130,224 miles
Recorded on18 Jul 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP42 AKS
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

14 pass 4 fail
Pass 18 Jul 2026 130,224 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2025 129,773 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2024 129,557 miles
Pass 30 Oct 2021 128,481 miles

under tray fitted to the car

Pass 18 Oct 2020 128,030 miles

under tray fitted to the car .

Pass 4 May 2019 126,585 miles

under tray fitted

Pass 4 Aug 2018 126,108 miles
Pass 2 May 2017 124,716 miles

both aux belts cracked

crack in window screan

n/s/f tyre perished

Fail 20 Apr 2017 124,714 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

both aux belts cracked

crack in window screan

n/s/f tyre perished

Pass 2 Jun 2014 123,152 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Upper Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

all front and rear metal brake pipes are heavily greased

n/s/f metal brake which goes to flexi corrided

n/s/f shock asorber outter casing deterated

n/s/r shock asorber outter casing deterated

o/s/f metal brake which goes to flexi corrided

o/s/f shock asorber outter casing deterated

Fail 27 May 2014 123,152 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Nearside Front Upper Tie bar/rod ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Upper Tie bar/rod ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Nearside Front Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Rear Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Upper Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

all front and rear metal brake pipes are heavily greased

n/s/f metal brake which goes to flexi corrided

n/s/f shock asorber outter casing deterated

n/s/r shock asorber outter casing deterated

o/s/f metal brake which goes to flexi corrided

o/s/f shock asorber outter casing deterated

Pass 4 Aug 2010 122,272 miles

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

Offside Outer Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 27 Jul 2010 122,272 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Outer Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 21 Jan 2009 120,574 miles
Pass 8 Jan 2008 115,834 miles
Fail 4 Jan 2008 115,834 miles

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

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

Pass 11 May 2007 113,968 miles
Pass 8 May 2006 107,591 miles

Corrosion to brake pipes at rear.

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

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P42 AKS is a 1997 BMW M3 in Silver with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 P42 AKS, 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 P42 AKS?

You can check the full history of P42 AKS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P42 AKS registered?

P42 AKS is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 24 February 1997.

Is P42 AKS safe to buy?

The MOT history for P42 AKS shows 18 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P42 AKS 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 P42 AKS. 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.