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R126 AEV

1998 BMW Z3

Red Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Jul 2026
Tests22 (12 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate54.5%

Mileage

107,155 mi
Last recorded107,155 miles
Recorded on11 Jul 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 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

RegistrationR126 AEV
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourRed
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 10 fail
Pass 11 Jul 2025 107,155 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Floors/sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Floors/sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 4 Jul 2019 106,868 miles
Fail 2 Jul 2019 106,860 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Rear fog lamp switch inoperative (4.5.3 (a) (ii))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Parking brake item Result Brake efficiency 17% may require adjustment

Pass 31 May 2017 106,721 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a track control arm inner bush (2.5.B.2b)

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a track control arm inner bush (2.5.B.2b)

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

Fail 12 May 2017 106,706 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp switch faulty (1.3.1a)

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

Pass 4 Nov 2015 106,433 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2015 106,433 miles

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

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

Fail 30 Oct 2014 101,876 miles

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

Pass 30 Oct 2014 101,876 miles
Fail 17 Oct 2014 101,675 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 has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 27 Sep 2013 97,585 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Oil leak

Fail 26 Sep 2013 97,585 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 12 Apr 2012 86,668 miles
Pass 16 Aug 2010 81,321 miles
Fail 14 Aug 2010 81,236 miles

Offside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

Offside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 8 Sep 2009 72,860 miles
Fail 3 Sep 2009 72,860 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Front Lower Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

O/s/f tyre worn low

Pass 6 Aug 2008 66,259 miles

Rear brake pipes corroding

Rear cross member bushes deteriorating

Fail 30 Jul 2008 66,259 miles

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Rear brake pipes corroding

Rear cross member bushes deteriorating

Fail 27 Mar 2008 66,225 miles

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

Offside Front Bonded suspension unit bonding failed and part of unit is likely to become displaced (2.4.F.2)

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

Offside Front Lower Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Rear Lower coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 27 Feb 2007 56,600 miles
Pass 2 Mar 2006 50,720 miles

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

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

sill covers fitted

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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R126 AEV is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Red with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 54.5%.

Across all 1998 BMW Z3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.1% with a typical mileage of 76,857 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 R126 AEV, 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 28 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 R126 AEV?

You can check the full history of R126 AEV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R126 AEV registered?

R126 AEV is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 11 February 1998.

Is R126 AEV safe to buy?

The MOT history for R126 AEV shows 22 tests with a 54.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R126 AEV 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 R126 AEV. 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.