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R26 MDE

1998 BMW Z3

Green Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Oct 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

149,592 mi
Last recorded149,592 miles
Recorded on29 Sep 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR26 MDE
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourGreen
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

19 pass 8 fail
Pass 29 Sep 2025 149,592 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2024 148,564 miles
Fail 16 Sep 2024 148,564 miles

Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Pass 27 Jul 2022 148,545 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule Both (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Fuel tank bracket corroded

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Rear Both tyres cracked

Rear Lower Both suspension arms corroded

Fail 26 Jul 2022 148,541 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule Both (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Fuel tank bracket corroded

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Rear Lower Both suspension arms corroded

Pass 23 Jul 2021 148,462 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2020 148,372 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2019 148,112 miles
Fail 7 Jan 2019 148,112 miles

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

Central Front Power steering pipe/hose leaking (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 12 Dec 2017 147,534 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2017 147,534 miles

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 4 Jan 2017 146,762 miles

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

Pass 9 Jan 2016 145,087 miles

Centre Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Pass 8 Jan 2015 143,372 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2014 142,480 miles

Outer Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 4 Jan 2014 142,475 miles

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

Offside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Outer Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Pass 20 Dec 2012 139,470 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2011 134,047 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2010 130,837 miles

Both rear brake discs corroded, and offside rear disc warped.

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Nearside front shock absorber partially seized.

Fail 9 Dec 2010 130,837 miles

Both rear brake discs corroded, and offside rear disc warped.

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Nearside front shock absorber partially seized.

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 29 Dec 2009 120,008 miles

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

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

Pass 19 Dec 2008 106,345 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2008 106,345 miles

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 27 Dec 2007 92,118 miles
Pass 29 Dec 2006 78,596 miles
Pass 29 Dec 2005 65,341 miles

rear axle bushes worn

Fail 15 Dec 2005 64,886 miles

Centre Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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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R26 MDE is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Green with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 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 R26 MDE, 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 R26 MDE?

You can check the full history of R26 MDE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R26 MDE registered?

R26 MDE is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 17 February 1998.

Is R26 MDE safe to buy?

The MOT history for R26 MDE shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R26 MDE 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 R26 MDE. 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.