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R266 AAB

1997 BMW M3

Green Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Aug 2026
Tests23 (16 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate69.6%

Mileage

122,268 mi
Last recorded122,268 miles
Recorded on29 Jul 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 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

RegistrationR266 AAB
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,201cc

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

16 pass 7 fail
Pass 29 Jul 2025 122,268 miles
Pass 29 Aug 2024 122,143 miles
Fail 16 Aug 2024 122,141 miles

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

Pass 3 Aug 2023 121,993 miles

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

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

Pass 27 Jul 2022 121,637 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2021 121,240 miles
Fail 21 Jul 2021 121,239 miles

Offside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Jul 2020 120,453 miles

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 11 Jul 2019 119,306 miles
Fail 21 Jun 2019 119,290 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate (1.6 (a))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 14 Jun 2018 118,079 miles

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

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

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 9 May 2018 118,046 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 14 Apr 2017 115,879 miles

Offside Front tyre wearing on inner edge

Pass 25 Apr 2016 113,780 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 15 Apr 2015 110,882 miles

Offside Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Fail 14 Apr 2015 110,874 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Offside Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 9 Apr 2014 104,439 miles

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

Pass 9 May 2011 93,345 miles

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

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

Fail 7 May 2011 93,335 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

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

Pass 8 May 2010 83,227 miles
Pass 21 Oct 2008 74,420 miles
Fail 20 Oct 2008 74,420 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Front passenger seat insecure (6.2.3)

Pass 24 Oct 2007 67,501 miles

How Reliable is the BMW M3?

Based on 440,678 MOT tests across 34,038 vehicles.

80.8%
Pass Rate
3,682
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
34,038
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 14,421
Brake pipe excessively corroded 7,386
coil spring incomplete 5,157
coil spring fractured 4,494
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,944
Full BMW M3 reliability report

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R266 AAB is a 1997 BMW M3 in Green with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.6%.

Across all 1997 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.9% with a typical mileage of 96,985 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 M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R266 AAB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW M3 typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 29 years old, this BMW M3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R266 AAB?

You can check the full history of R266 AAB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R266 AAB registered?

R266 AAB is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R266 AAB safe to buy?

The MOT history for R266 AAB shows 23 tests with a 69.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R266 AAB 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 R266 AAB. 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.