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R197 VSN

1998 BMW Z3

Silver Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Jul 2027
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

91,990 mi
Last recorded91,990 miles
Recorded on2 Jul 2026
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

RegistrationR197 VSN
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,793cc

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 8 fail
Pass 2 Jul 2026 91,990 miles

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive both sides (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Jun 2024 91,854 miles

some components on underside of vehicle corroded but not seriously weakend

Fail 5 Jun 2024 91,850 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Offside Front Body has an unsafe modification hole in sill (6.2.1 (d) (i))

some components on underside of vehicle corroded but not seriously weakend

Pass 1 Apr 2022 91,076 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside outer sill cover corroded

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

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

Offside outer sill cover corroded

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 12 Apr 2021 90,959 miles

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

Nearside sill cover corroded

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

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

Offside sill cover corroded

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 1 Aug 2019 90,819 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

power steering pipes corroded

Fail 29 Jul 2019 90,819 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced outer sill holed (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced outer sill holed (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

power steering pipes corroded

Pass 24 Jul 2018 89,838 miles

both outer sills corroded but not excessive

both rear suspension arms corroded

Pass 19 Jul 2017 89,509 miles

Oil leak

rear suspension components corroded

sill covers fitted

Pass 28 Jul 2016 88,360 miles
Fail 28 Jul 2016 88,360 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 15 Jul 2015 87,260 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Fail 15 Jul 2015 87,260 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 15 Jul 2014 86,254 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Pass 1 Aug 2013 85,247 miles
Fail 1 Aug 2013 85,247 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 30 Jul 2012 83,814 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)

Pass 7 Jun 2011 83,411 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

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

Pass 24 Apr 2010 81,072 miles

POWER STEERING PIPES CORRODED AT STEERING RACK

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

Fail 21 Apr 2010 81,072 miles

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

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter insecure (2.2.D.2d)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Brake pedal creeps down while the pedal is held under pressure (3.3.B.1a) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

POWER STEERING PIPES CORRODED AT STEERING RACK

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

Pass 4 Aug 2008 73,580 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2007 64,664 miles

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

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

Fail 10 Jul 2007 64,664 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

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

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

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

Pass 14 Jul 2006 57,120 miles
Fail 6 Jul 2006 56,977 miles

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

Nearside Front coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

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

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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R197 VSN is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Silver with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

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 R197 VSN, 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 R197 VSN?

You can check the full history of R197 VSN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R197 VSN registered?

R197 VSN is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 2 June 1998.

Is R197 VSN safe to buy?

The MOT history for R197 VSN shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R197 VSN 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 R197 VSN. 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.