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R749 EBU

1998 BMW 535

Blue Petrol 3498cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Jan 2027
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

171,746 mi
Last recorded171,746 miles
Recorded on21 Jan 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW 535110,452 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR749 EBU
MakeBMW
Model535
Year1998
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,498cc

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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 21 Jan 2026 171,746 miles

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

Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Fail 11 Jan 2026 171,738 miles

Driver's airbag obviously inoperative (7.1.5 (c))

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) inner rack (2.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 13 Dec 2023 167,055 miles
Pass 3 Dec 2022 159,992 miles
Pass 24 Dec 2021 154,669 miles
Pass 24 Nov 2020 154,518 miles

Both rear inner sills corroded

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 25 Nov 2019 154,354 miles

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

Fail 21 Nov 2019 154,354 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

rear park only 13% o/s/r 150kg n/s/r 90kg

Pass 9 Nov 2018 154,029 miles

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

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

Fail 25 Oct 2018 154,026 miles

Offside Front Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 2 Oct 2017 152,758 miles

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

sill covers fitted

Pass 29 Sep 2016
Pass 7 Oct 2015 146,375 miles

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

Fail 6 Oct 2015 146,369 miles

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

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

Fail 7 Oct 2014 141,852 miles

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

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 7 Oct 2014 141,852 miles

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

Pass 30 Sep 2013 136,232 miles

Offside Rear Tie bar/rod has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 13 Sep 2012 131,225 miles
Fail 12 Sep 2012 131,225 miles

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

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

Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Pass 27 Sep 2011 126,208 miles
Fail 23 Sep 2011 126,201 miles

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 10 Sep 2010 118,326 miles

Nearside Outer Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 28 Sep 2009 106,610 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2008 93,124 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2007 79,054 miles
Fail 14 Sep 2007 79,053 miles

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Pass 30 Sep 2006 66,298 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2006 66,297 miles

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

How Reliable is the BMW 535?

Based on 216,162 MOT tests across 18,035 vehicles.

78.7%
Pass Rate
7,094
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
18,035
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 6,346
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 4,237
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 2,669
Brake pipe excessively corroded 2,608
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 2,438
Full BMW 535 reliability report

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R749 EBU is a 1998 BMW 535 in Blue with a 3,498cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

Across all 1998 BMW 535 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.6% with a typical mileage of 110,452 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 535 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 6,346 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R749 EBU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 535 typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 535 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R749 EBU?

You can check the full history of R749 EBU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R749 EBU registered?

R749 EBU is a 1998 BMW 535, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R749 EBU safe to buy?

The MOT history for R749 EBU shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R749 EBU 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 R749 EBU. 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.