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S181 BPL

1998 BMW Z3

Black Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Apr 2027
Tests24 (18 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

176,579 mi
Last recorded176,579 miles
Recorded on21 Mar 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

RegistrationS181 BPL
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourBlack
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

18 pass 6 fail
Pass 21 Mar 2026 176,579 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Mar 2025 174,754 miles

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

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

Pass 6 Apr 2024 171,619 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2023 171,297 miles

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

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

Offside Front Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Aug 2018 168,726 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2017 166,857 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2016 162,525 miles

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

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

Pass 12 Sep 2015 159,360 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 13 Sep 2014 155,517 miles

Oil leak

Pass 31 Aug 2013 149,436 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2012 147,107 miles

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

Fail 1 Sep 2011 138,044 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Offside Front Lower Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

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

Pass 1 Sep 2011 138,044 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Offside Front Lower Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 23 Aug 2010 12,706 miles

Airbag light on

Corrosion on rear brake discs

Headlights deteriorated

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

Fail 9 Aug 2010 120,124 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Airbag light on

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

Corrosion on rear brake discs

Headlights deteriorated

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 19 Aug 2009 112,503 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2009 112,503 miles

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

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

slight play in nearside front wheel bearing

slight play in steering rack

Pass 2 Sep 2008 94,281 miles

Front Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

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

Offside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

airbag warning light on

traction control light on

Fail 1 Sep 2008 94,281 miles

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

Front Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

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

Offside Front Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

airbag warning light on

traction control light on

Pass 3 Sep 2007 80,731 miles
Fail 23 Aug 2007 80,084 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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)

air bag warning light on

chip in windscreen

slight play n/s/f lower swivel

Pass 31 Aug 2006 66,955 miles
Fail 30 Aug 2006 66,955 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because tyres with different aspect ratios are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

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

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 9 Aug 2005 58,216 miles

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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S181 BPL is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Black with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 S181 BPL, 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 S181 BPL?

You can check the full history of S181 BPL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S181 BPL registered?

S181 BPL is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 14 August 1998.

Is S181 BPL safe to buy?

The MOT history for S181 BPL shows 24 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S181 BPL 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 S181 BPL. 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.