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R196 VRX

1998 BMW Z3

Blue Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires16 Jul 2026
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

100,055 mi
Last recorded100,055 miles
Recorded on17 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

RegistrationR196 VRX
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 17 Jul 2025 100,055 miles

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 8 Jul 2025 100,048 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 7 Jun 2024 97,946 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2023 95,129 miles

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

Oil leak, but not excessive oil leak from rocker cover gasket (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 7 Jun 2023 95,116 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Front Exhaust mounting defective exhaust mounting lower section missing (6.1.2 (a))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive oil leak from rocker cover gasket (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 23 May 2022 94,329 miles
Pass 25 May 2021 92,211 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2020 91,671 miles
Pass 25 May 2019 91,521 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2018 90,529 miles
Pass 30 Aug 2016 90,353 miles

coolant leak from radiator

Pass 18 Mar 2013 90,168 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2012 89,788 miles

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

air bag light on

Fail 10 Feb 2012 89,788 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

air bag light on

Pass 11 Feb 2011 89,182 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Fail 30 Dec 2009 84,812 miles

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

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

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

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Pass 30 Dec 2009 84,812 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 7 Jan 2009 78,201 miles

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 30 Dec 2008 78,078 miles

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

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

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 4 Jan 2008 72,166 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2007 63,351 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2005 56,279 miles
Fail 10 Dec 2005 56,279 miles

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

advise play in steering rack

air bag warning lamp staying on

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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R196 VRX is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Blue with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

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 performed better than the average for its 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 R196 VRX, 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 R196 VRX?

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

What year was R196 VRX registered?

R196 VRX is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 27 April 1998.

Is R196 VRX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R196 VRX shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R196 VRX 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 VRX. 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.