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R253 NPN

1998 BMW Z3

Blue Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Apr 2027
Tests29 (21 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate72.4%

Mileage

73,729 mi
Last recorded73,729 miles
Recorded on20 Apr 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR253 NPN
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

21 pass 8 fail
Pass 20 Apr 2026 73,729 miles

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

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

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

Fail 20 Apr 2026 73,729 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 22 Apr 2025 70,053 miles

Nearside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Fail 14 Apr 2025 70,048 miles

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

Nearside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Pass 3 Apr 2024 64,615 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2023 59,191 miles
Fail 3 Apr 2023 59,191 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 16 Apr 2022 54,518 miles
Fail 11 Mar 2022 54,499 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 11 Mar 2021 51,772 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 25 Mar 2020 50,679 miles
Fail 23 Mar 2020 50,679 miles

Emissions not tested catalytic converter broken up (8.2.1.2 (d))

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

Pass 30 May 2019 49,150 miles

Both lower sills corroded

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Slight brake bind

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

Offside Front Inner Arch shows signs of tyre contact

Offside Front Screen washer jet poor/weak

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 28 May 2019 49,145 miles

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Outer Brake lining(s) incorrectly mounted (1.1.13 (c)) DANGEROUS

Both lower sills corroded

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Slight brake bind

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

Offside Front Inner Arch shows signs of tyre contact

Offside Front Screen washer jet poor/weak

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 29 May 2018 46,644 miles

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

tyre marks on o/s inner wing no contact at time of test

Pass 1 Jun 2017 45,347 miles

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

Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint x2 (2.4.G.2)

Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement x2 back (2.4.G.2)

Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) x2 ()

Front and rearsuspension slightly corroded

Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil x2 (2.7.3)

x2 sill cover fitted

Pass 31 May 2016 44,342 miles

MOVEMENT IN BOTH LOWER BALL JOINTS

STEERING RACK INNER JOINTS WORN

Pass 8 May 2015 43,378 miles

fuel tank straps corroded

movement in both lower ball joints

o/s/f spring corroded

Pass 29 May 2014 41,850 miles

movement in both lower ball joints

rear brake pipes corroded

Pass 31 May 2013 39,152 miles

rear brake pipes in poor condition

Pass 24 May 2012 38,474 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2011 37,243 miles

front brake pads getting low

Pass 19 May 2010 36,429 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 2 Jun 2009 35,232 miles
Fail 2 Jun 2009 35,232 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 30 May 2008 33,704 miles
Fail 30 May 2008 33,704 miles

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

Pass 4 Jun 2007 32,002 miles

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

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 7 Jan 2006 27,091 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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R253 NPN is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Blue with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.4%.

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 R253 NPN, 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 R253 NPN?

You can check the full history of R253 NPN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R253 NPN registered?

R253 NPN is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R253 NPN safe to buy?

The MOT history for R253 NPN shows 29 tests with a 72.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R253 NPN 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 R253 NPN. 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.