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R29 CAX

1997 BMW M3

Blue Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Sep 2026
Tests23 (21 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate91.3%

Mileage

39,499 mi
Last recorded39,499 miles
Recorded on26 Sep 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 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

RegistrationR29 CAX
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

21 pass 2 fail
Pass 26 Sep 2025 39,499 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2024 39,493 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2023 39,487 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2022 39,389 miles

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both worn close in centre thread (5.2.3 (e))

rear diff leaking

Pass 29 Sep 2021 39,237 miles

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

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

Pass 25 Sep 2020 39,111 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2019 39,085 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2018 39,075 miles

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

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

Pass 21 Sep 2017 38,983 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2016 38,925 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 245/40/17 (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 245/40/17 (4.1.E.1)

Oil leak ()

Pass 25 Sep 2015 38,813 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

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

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (3.5.1i)

play in steering rack inner joints

Pass 18 Sep 2014 38,701 miles

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

front exhaust mounting broken

Pass 25 Sep 2013 38,081 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2012 37,067 miles

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 26 Sep 2011 34,839 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 16 Sep 2010 33,451 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Rear number plate some deterioration.

Pass 29 Sep 2009 33,081 miles

Rear number plate deterioration.

Pass 15 Sep 2008 32,347 miles

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

Pass 18 Sep 2007 31,353 miles
Fail 18 Sep 2007 31,353 miles

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

Pass 8 Sep 2006 29,145 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2006 29,145 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 16 Sep 2005 26,231 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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R29 CAX is a 1997 BMW M3 in Blue with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 91.3%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 R29 CAX, 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 R29 CAX?

You can check the full history of R29 CAX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R29 CAX registered?

R29 CAX is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 17 October 1997.

Is R29 CAX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R29 CAX shows 23 tests with a 91.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R29 CAX 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 R29 CAX. 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.