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R553 LGT

1998 BMW M3

Purple Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Mar 2027
Tests15 (9 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

86,676 mi
Last recorded86,676 miles
Recorded on23 Mar 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW M387,931 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

RegistrationR553 LGT
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1998
ColourPurple
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

9 pass 6 fail
Pass 23 Mar 2026 86,676 miles
Fail 19 Mar 2026 86,661 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Fail 3 Mar 2026 86,653 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

nearside front fog lamp has water inside unit

Pass 7 Mar 2020 85,037 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2014 82,799 miles

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

Fail 29 Mar 2014 82,799 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

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

Pass 2 Mar 2013 79,353 miles

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

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn shock absorber pivot (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorber has a slightly worn shock absorber pivot (2.7.4)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

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

Pass 1 Mar 2012 76,745 miles

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

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

nearside rear tyre in poor condition

Fail 25 Feb 2012 76,731 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (1.8)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Pass 2 Mar 2011 74,282 miles

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

Fail 12 Jun 2010 74,252 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

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

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

front brake discs pitted rear brake discs pitted

o/s/front anti roll bar link boot split

Pass 2 Jul 2008 73,168 miles

both rear tyres wearing low!

Pass 29 Jun 2007 60,410 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2006 50,390 miles
Fail 1 Jul 2006 50,385 miles

Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

1. engine oil leak †2. rear brakes working beyond normal service life

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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R553 LGT is a 1998 BMW M3 in Purple with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1998 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 74.8% with a typical mileage of 87,931 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 M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R553 LGT, 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 28 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 R553 LGT?

You can check the full history of R553 LGT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R553 LGT registered?

R553 LGT is a 1998 BMW M3, first registered on 15 January 1998.

Is R553 LGT safe to buy?

The MOT history for R553 LGT shows 15 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R553 LGT 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 R553 LGT. 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.