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P488 JMO

1997 BMW Z3

Black Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Oct 2026
Tests17 (12 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate70.6%

Mileage

145,904 mi
Last recorded145,904 miles
Recorded on16 Oct 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW Z383,222 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP488 JMO
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

12 pass 5 fail
Pass 16 Oct 2025 145,904 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement lower arm rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

all tyres 2007

Fail 16 Oct 2025 145,904 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect bulb fitted incorrectly (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement lower arm rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

all tyres 2007

Pass 17 Oct 2024 145,839 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated flexi pipe into brake caliper (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated flexi hose into brake caliper (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

all 4 tyres dated 2007

Pass 30 Oct 2023 145,711 miles

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

Pass 4 Aug 2022 145,377 miles

Exhaust silencer slightly loose outer headsheild deteriorating (8.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement lower arm rear bush has slight movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement lower arm rear bush has slight movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

both headlamps getting poor on beam tester

both rear tyres slightly out of shape also very old tyres (2107

Pass 5 Aug 2021 144,996 miles

Nearside Rear tyre slightly out of shape

Offside Rear tyre slightly out of shape

Pass 19 Aug 2020 144,324 miles
Pass 9 Mar 2011 143,978 miles
Fail 4 Mar 2011 143,964 miles

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)

Pass 24 Feb 2010 142,144 miles
Pass 27 Mar 2009 139,269 miles
Fail 27 Mar 2009 139,262 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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 15 Apr 2008 133,421 miles
Fail 15 Apr 2008 133,421 miles

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (1.8)

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

Pass 22 Mar 2007 118,834 miles
Fail 21 Mar 2007 118,834 miles

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 7 Mar 2006 103,420 miles

both rear sub frame bushes have collapsed

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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P488 JMO is a 1997 BMW Z3 in Black with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.6%.

Across all 1997 BMW Z3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.6% with a typical mileage of 83,222 miles. This vehicle is performing in line with others of the same 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 P488 JMO, 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 P488 JMO?

You can check the full history of P488 JMO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P488 JMO registered?

P488 JMO is a 1997 BMW Z3, first registered on 7 March 1997.

Is P488 JMO safe to buy?

The MOT history for P488 JMO shows 17 tests with a 70.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P488 JMO 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 P488 JMO. 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.