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R297 VJB

1998 BMW 316

Green Petrol 1596cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Apr 2027
Tests22 (17 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate77.3%

Mileage

144,630 mi
Last recorded144,630 miles
Recorded on17 Apr 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW 31698,622 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR297 VJB
MakeBMW
Model316
Year1998
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,596cc

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

17 pass 5 fail
Pass 17 Apr 2026 144,630 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 15 Apr 2026 144,600 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 1 May 2025 139,898 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

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

Pass 18 Oct 2022 139,809 miles

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

Pass 10 Nov 2021 136,839 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2020 127,692 miles

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

Pass 4 May 2019 122,935 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material around fuel tank and near flexi hose (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material around fuel tank and near flexi hose (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 12 May 2018 114,733 miles
Pass 10 May 2017 109,737 miles

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

slight corrosion on rear pipes

Fail 10 May 2017 109,735 miles

Central Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Exhaust system not adequately supported front centre and rear mounts (7.1.1)

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

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

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

slight corrosion on rear pipes

Pass 31 Oct 2015 107,057 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear offside and nearside main pipes slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 9 Aug 2014 105,062 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2013 104,089 miles
Fail 4 Jul 2013 104,089 miles

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

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 3 Nov 2011 104,077 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2011 104,077 miles

Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Pass 5 Nov 2010 103,509 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2009 103,407 miles
Fail 24 Jan 2009 103,407 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 15 Sep 2007 88,613 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 3 Aug 2006 87,591 miles

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)

Pass 17 Aug 2005 85,890 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 316?

Based on 1,210,990 MOT tests across 108,989 vehicles.

69.2%
Pass Rate
5,781
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
108,989
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 71,150
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 70,761
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 45,241
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 39,617
parking brake recording little or no effort 33,703
Full BMW 316 reliability report

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R297 VJB is a 1998 BMW 316 in Green with a 1,596cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.3%.

Across all 1998 BMW 316 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.1% with a typical mileage of 98,622 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 316 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 71,150 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R297 VJB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 316 typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 316 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R297 VJB?

You can check the full history of R297 VJB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R297 VJB registered?

R297 VJB is a 1998 BMW 316, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R297 VJB safe to buy?

The MOT history for R297 VJB shows 22 tests with a 77.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R297 VJB 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 R297 VJB. 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.