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R343 KEC

1998 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires16 Mar 2026
Tests15 (13 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate86.7%

Mileage

174,826 mi
Last recorded174,826 miles
Recorded on17 Mar 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 3 Series106,396 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR343 KEC
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1998
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc
View full BMW 3 Series reliability data

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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

13 pass 2 fail
Pass 17 Mar 2025 174,826 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing (5.3.2 (b))

Power steering pump has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 24 Nov 2023 173,224 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Power steering pump has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 15 Feb 2022 171,374 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2015 168,220 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 11 Nov 2014 156,437 miles
Pass 9 Nov 2013 140,587 miles

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

Nearside Rear Trailing arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 10 Nov 2012 130,568 miles
Fail 9 Nov 2012 130,559 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 6 Jun 2011 119,412 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 15 Jun 2010 111,740 miles
Fail 15 Jun 2010 111,740 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Offside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Rear Brake pipe inadequately clipped (3.6.B.1)

Rear Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1)

Nearside Front Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 9 Jul 2009 107,452 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2008 101,373 miles
Pass 9 Jul 2007 95,014 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2006 90,491 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 3 Series?

Based on 12,840,406 MOT tests across 1,004,285 vehicles.

75.1%
Pass Rate
6,672
Miles/Year
37
Year Lifespan
1,004,285
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 485,475
Brake pipe excessively corroded 323,327
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 253,205
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 185,099
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 182,360
Full BMW 3 Series reliability report

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R343 KEC is a 1998 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 86.7%.

Across all 1998 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 106,396 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 3 Series fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 485,475 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R343 KEC, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 3 Series typically stays on UK roads for around 37 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 3 Series is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R343 KEC?

You can check the full history of R343 KEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R343 KEC registered?

R343 KEC is a 1998 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 11 May 1998.

Is R343 KEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R343 KEC shows 15 tests with a 86.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R343 KEC 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 R343 KEC. 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.