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R242 WBL

1998 BMW Z3

Black Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Dec 2026
Tests16 (10 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

105,468 mi
Last recorded105,468 miles
Recorded on19 Nov 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

RegistrationR242 WBL
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourBlack
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

10 pass 6 fail
Pass 19 Nov 2025 105,468 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2024 104,458 miles

lowering kits fitted to front and rear suspensions

Pass 26 Jul 2021 104,042 miles

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

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

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

Fail 23 Jul 2021 104,042 miles

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm insecure and impairing directional stability (5.3.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside 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 27 Mar 2012 101,373 miles

slight play in offside front bottom ball joint

Fail 27 Mar 2012 101,373 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

slight play in offside front bottom ball joint

Pass 9 Mar 2011 97,138 miles

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

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Stop lamp slightly discoloured (1.2.1e)

Fail 1 Mar 2011 97,138 miles

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

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

Offside Front Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Stop lamp slightly discoloured (1.2.1e)

Pass 24 Mar 2010 92,748 miles

Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

offside wiper blade split

Fail 16 Mar 2010 92,743 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

offside wiper blade split

Pass 5 Jan 2009 86,559 miles

all for tyres have long cracks in side walls not deep enough to reach cords

Fail 5 Jan 2009 86,557 miles

Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

all for tyres have long cracks in side walls not deep enough to reach cords

Pass 15 Nov 2007 79,863 miles

as before

Fail 7 Nov 2007 79,852 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

Offside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

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

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)

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

front number plate cracked

Pass 12 Oct 2006 73,494 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2005 67,200 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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R242 WBL is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Black with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

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 R242 WBL, 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 R242 WBL?

You can check the full history of R242 WBL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R242 WBL registered?

R242 WBL is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R242 WBL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R242 WBL shows 16 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R242 WBL 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 R242 WBL. 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.