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P551 LBA

1997 BMW Z3

Blue Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Dec 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

95,697 mi
Last recorded95,697 miles
Recorded on8 Dec 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW Z383,222 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

RegistrationP551 LBA
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1997
ColourBlue
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 8 fail
Pass 8 Dec 2025 95,697 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake cable damaged but not to excess (1.1.15 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Gearbox mounting defective Bushes Delaminating. ()

Pass 5 Dec 2024 90,015 miles

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

Central Rear Gearbox mounting defective Bush Delaminating Diff Mount. ()

Front Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

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

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

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

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

Rear Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

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

Pass 6 Dec 2023 85,301 miles

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

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

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

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Pass 2 Dec 2022 80,886 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 13 Dec 2021 77,666 miles
Pass 27 Nov 2020 73,798 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2019 70,077 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2018 64,775 miles

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

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Oil leak

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 10 Dec 2018 64,775 miles

Emissions not tested (8.2.1.2 (d))

Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

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

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Oil leak

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 24 Nov 2017 53,909 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2017 53,901 miles

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

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively Both sides (8.2.2)

Pass 23 Aug 2016 48,410 miles
Fail 23 Aug 2016 48,410 miles

Nearside Front Braking system leaking brakes horse (3.6.A.1)

Fail 15 Apr 2016 48,395 miles

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

Fail 10 Apr 2015 46,312 miles

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Pass 10 Apr 2015 46,312 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2015 46,300 miles

Offside Rear Body has a sharp edge caused by damage (6.1.C.1)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 7 Apr 2014 44,374 miles
Fail 7 Apr 2014 44,374 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 23 May 2012 39,441 miles

Both rear tyres perished/cracked.

Pass 11 May 2011 37,546 miles
Pass 18 May 2010 36,004 miles
Pass 19 May 2009 34,937 miles
Pass 22 May 2008 34,275 miles
Fail 21 May 2008 34,273 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)

Offside Front Obligatory mirror insecure (8.1.1)

Pass 22 May 2007 32,970 miles
Pass 15 May 2006 32,414 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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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.

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P551 LBA is a 1997 BMW Z3 in Blue with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 P551 LBA, 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 P551 LBA?

You can check the full history of P551 LBA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P551 LBA registered?

P551 LBA is a 1997 BMW Z3, first registered on 12 May 1997.

Is P551 LBA safe to buy?

The MOT history for P551 LBA shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P551 LBA 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 P551 LBA. 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.