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R878 YTR

1997 BMW M3

Silver Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Apr 2027
Tests27 (21 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

137,295 mi
Last recorded137,295 miles
Recorded on22 Apr 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR878 YTR
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourSilver
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 6 fail
Pass 22 Apr 2026 137,295 miles

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Front Coil spring corroded Both. (offside and nearside). (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Nearside Rear Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Offside Front Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Offside Rear Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Rear Coil spring corroded Both. (offside and nearside). (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Undertrays fitted, Full inspection not carried out.

Fail 22 Apr 2026 137,294 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Front Coil spring corroded Both. (offside and nearside). (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Nearside Rear Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Offside Front Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Offside Rear Valve stem slightly damaged Tyre valve. (5.2.3 (j))

Rear Coil spring corroded Both. (offside and nearside). (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Undertrays fitted, Full inspection not carried out.

Pass 2 Jul 2025 137,084 miles

Front Coil spring corroded Both. (offside and nearside). (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Coil spring corroded Both. (offside and nearside). (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 1 May 2024 134,159 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material ALL greased (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 7 Mar 2023 132,866 miles

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

Pass 12 Oct 2022 132,254 miles

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

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

Pass 7 May 2021 130,504 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 14 May 2020 128,675 miles

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Pass 1 Apr 2019 127,050 miles
Pass 23 Feb 2018 125,179 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2017 120,511 miles

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

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

Fail 3 Feb 2017 120,511 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Pass 21 Nov 2015 116,200 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2014 115,727 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Oil leak

Fail 27 Oct 2014 115,727 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Oil leak

Pass 30 Oct 2013 105,579 miles

bonnet struts do not support the bonnet when opened

Fail 29 Oct 2013 105,575 miles

Offside Front Driver's airbag obviously defective (5.4.1)

Offside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

bonnet struts do not support the bonnet when opened

Pass 18 Apr 2013 101,435 miles

Oil leak

Pass 31 Mar 2012 97,514 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 12 Apr 2011 96,147 miles
Fail 9 Apr 2011 96,146 miles

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

Pass 21 Apr 2010 94,733 miles
Fail 17 Apr 2010 94,731 miles

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

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

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

Pass 17 Jan 2009 93,674 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2008 89,504 miles
Pass 17 Jan 2007 83,653 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2006 76,549 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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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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R878 YTR is a 1997 BMW M3 in Silver with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

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 R878 YTR, 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 R878 YTR?

You can check the full history of R878 YTR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R878 YTR registered?

R878 YTR is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R878 YTR safe to buy?

The MOT history for R878 YTR shows 27 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R878 YTR 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 R878 YTR. 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.