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R9 BCY

1998 BMW Z3

Blue Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 May 2027
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

142,357 mi
Last recorded142,357 miles
Recorded on27 Apr 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR9 BCY
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,895cc

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 5 fail
Pass 27 Apr 2026 142,357 miles

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

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

Oil leak, but not excessive Rocker cover weeping (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Rear Service brake binding but not excessively Both rear brakes slight bind (1.2.1 (f))

Fail 27 Apr 2026 142,350 miles

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

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

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

Oil leak, but not excessive Rocker cover weeping (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Rear Service brake binding but not excessively Both rear brakes slight bind (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 2 May 2025 142,302 miles

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

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both front brake discs are worn and scored. (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Oil leak, but not excessive Slight weep from rocker cover. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively Slightly binding. (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 3 May 2024 142,131 miles

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

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

Pass 26 Apr 2023 141,817 miles

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

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

Pass 3 May 2022 141,462 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases cat to centre silencer joint has a slight exhaust blow (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective headlamp lens is deteriorated and is starting to diffuse the beam image (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective headlamp lens is deteriorated and is starting to diffuse the beam image (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 30 Apr 2021 140,723 miles

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Subframe prescribed area/inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 7 May 2020 138,383 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 8 May 2019 136,326 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage 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 Rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Fail 3 May 2019 136,315 miles

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage 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 Rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Pass 12 May 2018 135,018 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2017 134,621 miles

Central Rear Stop lamp has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.2.1b)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases temp repair to rear exhaust link pipe (7.1.2)

Offside Rear Outer Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill covers fitted unable to see complete panel (2.4.A.3)

Fail 29 Mar 2017 134,620 miles

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

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

Central Rear Stop lamp has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.2.1b)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases temp repair to rear exhaust link pipe (7.1.2)

Offside Rear Outer Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill covers fitted unable to see complete panel (2.4.A.3)

Pass 21 Jul 2015 134,467 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

n/s/f tyre perished

o/s/f tyre cut in tred pattern +perished

Fail 10 Jul 2015 134,459 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)

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

Offside Outer Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

n/s/f tyre perished

o/s/f tyre cut in tred pattern +perished

Pass 31 Aug 2013 130,013 miles
Pass 21 Aug 2012 123,738 miles

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

Fail 17 Aug 2012 123,736 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)

Nearside rear brake juddering severely (3.7.A.5b)

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 Aug 2011 119,206 miles

Coolant leak

Pass 27 Aug 2010 114,240 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2009 98,922 miles

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

Pass 5 Sep 2008 92,511 miles
Pass 3 Sep 2007 88,746 miles
Pass 11 Apr 2006 78,497 miles

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

Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

rear diff bush starting to split

How Reliable is the BMW Z3?

Based on 498,063 MOT tests across 26,000 vehicles.

73.2%
Pass Rate
2,128
Miles/Year
29
Year Lifespan
26,000
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 17,103
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,600
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 10,064
position lamp(s) not working 9,305
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 7,992
Full BMW Z3 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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R9 BCY is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Blue with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

Across all 1998 BMW Z3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.1% with a typical mileage of 76,857 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW Z3 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 17,103 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R9 BCY, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW Z3 typically stays on UK roads for around 29 years. At 28 years old, this BMW Z3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R9 BCY?

You can check the full history of R9 BCY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R9 BCY registered?

R9 BCY is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 29 May 1998.

Is R9 BCY safe to buy?

The MOT history for R9 BCY shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R9 BCY 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 R9 BCY. 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.