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R281 PTF

1998 BMW Z3

Blue Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Apr 2027
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

125,606 mi
Last recorded125,606 miles
Recorded on30 Apr 2026
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

RegistrationR281 PTF
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourBlue
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

16 pass 5 fail
Pass 30 Apr 2026 125,606 miles

very heavily undersealed throught

Pass 7 May 2024 125,278 miles
Pass 1 Jun 2023 124,414 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2019 123,229 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 14 Jun 2017 118,207 miles

sills and sill covers are very rusty

Brake hose slightly deteriorated several (3.6.B.4d)

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

Nearside handbrake cable is in poor condition

Offside Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened both (2.4.G.1)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both rusty (3.5.1i)

battery is loose

fuel pipes are rusty

Pass 14 Jun 2016 110,031 miles

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

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

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

Fail 10 Jun 2016 110,007 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake cable has wires broken and is significantly weakened parking brake cable (3.5.1b)

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

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

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

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

Pass 15 Jun 2015 101,048 miles
Pass 28 Jul 2014 91,776 miles
Fail 28 Jul 2014 91,776 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 5 Jul 2013 82,531 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2012 79,874 miles

sill covers fitted

Pass 1 Oct 2011 78,308 miles

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

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

Pass 29 Sep 2010 76,764 miles

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

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

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

Fail 21 Sep 2010 76,683 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

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

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

Pass 2 Oct 2009 68,539 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2009 68,539 miles

Front Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Nearside Rear Upper Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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)

corrosion all steering and suspension parts but still o/k

Pass 14 Jul 2008 63,435 miles

centre exhaust mounting is corroded,but still supports exhaust.

Pass 28 Jun 2007 62,354 miles
Fail 13 Jun 2007 62,332 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Pass 8 May 2006 51,218 miles

o/s/r brake warning wire not connected.n/s/f brake warning wire incorrectly routed?.n/s/f lower arm rear bush is splitting

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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R281 PTF is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Blue with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

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 R281 PTF, 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 R281 PTF?

You can check the full history of R281 PTF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R281 PTF registered?

R281 PTF is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 8 April 1998.

Is R281 PTF safe to buy?

The MOT history for R281 PTF shows 21 tests with a 76.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R281 PTF 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 R281 PTF. 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.