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R196 BBY

1997 BMW 735

Red Petrol 3498cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Sep 2026
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

Typical for 1997 BMW 735117,541 mi
4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR196 BBY
MakeBMW
Model735
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,498cc

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 7 fail
Pass 30 Sep 2025

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

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

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly twisted (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

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

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

Parking brake lever defective but can be satisfactorily operated (1.1.6 (d))

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

Pass 9 Sep 2024 147,100 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 6 Jan 2021 126,143 miles

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

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

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

Fail 6 Jan 2021 126,143 miles

Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

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

Pass 25 Jun 2019 117,563 miles

Hydraulic leak, but not excessive PAS (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Fail 24 Jun 2019

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 30 Jul 2018 111,180 miles

Front both shock absorbers slightly reduced damping effect

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

Fail 30 Jul 2018 111,180 miles

Front Brake disc significantly and obviously worn (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Front both shock absorbers slightly reduced damping effect

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

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 31 Jul 2017 107,018 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2016
Pass 28 Jul 2015 86,658 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a nail

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage hose coming of Power steering bottle (2.3.3b)

Fail 22 Jul 2015 86,658 miles

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

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Nail in offside front tyre

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

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

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

exhaust heat sheild

Pass 2 Oct 2014 77,663 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2013 67,479 miles

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

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

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

Pass 17 Oct 2012 61,423 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 9 Oct 2012 61,314 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 13 Oct 2011 56,497 miles
Fail 13 Oct 2011 56,497 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 28 Oct 2010 52,463 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2009 48,571 miles

both front tyres wearing on the outer edges

Pass 24 Oct 2008 46,528 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 25 Sep 2008 46,440 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)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 13 Aug 2007 34,942 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2006 34,055 miles

Front brake discs corroding on outer edge

How Reliable is the BMW 735?

Based on 51,279 MOT tests across 5,701 vehicles.

73.1%
Pass Rate
4,383
Miles/Year
41
Year Lifespan
5,701
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2,292
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 1,707
Brake pipe excessively corroded 1,582
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 1,324
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 1,237
Full BMW 735 reliability report

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R196 BBY is a 1997 BMW 735 in Red with a 3,498cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

Across all 1997 BMW 735 models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.2% with a typical mileage of 117,541 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 735 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 2,292 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R196 BBY, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 735 typically stays on UK roads for around 41 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 735 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R196 BBY?

You can check the full history of R196 BBY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R196 BBY registered?

R196 BBY is a 1997 BMW 735, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R196 BBY safe to buy?

The MOT history for R196 BBY shows 24 tests with a 70.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R196 BBY 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 R196 BBY. 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.