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S257 APJ

1998 BMW M3

Silver Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 May 2026
Tests17 (12 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate70.6%

Mileage

103,168 mi
Last recorded103,168 miles
Recorded on19 May 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW M387,931 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationS257 APJ
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1998
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

12 pass 5 fail
Pass 19 May 2025 103,168 miles
Pass 31 May 2018 103,096 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2016 99,400 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Power steering leak

o/s/f shock absorber leaking (prompt)

o/s/r brake pipe badly corroded (prompt)

Fail 14 Oct 2016 99,384 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Power steering leak

o/s/f shock absorber leaking (prompt)

o/s/r brake pipe badly corroded (prompt)

Pass 6 Oct 2015 94,762 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2014 89,555 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

rear brake discs

Pass 13 Oct 2012 88,999 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 12 Oct 2011 84,428 miles
Fail 12 Oct 2011 84,418 miles

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

Nail in front tyre

Pass 23 Sep 2010 77,918 miles
Fail 18 Sep 2010 77,916 miles

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)

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

Pass 4 Sep 2009 72,657 miles
Fail 4 Sep 2009 72,655 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 21 Jul 2008 68,450 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

slight movement in the o/s of the steering rack

Fail 18 Aug 2007 67,214 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Pass 18 Aug 2007 67,214 miles

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

Pass 31 Oct 2006 62,497 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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S257 APJ is a 1998 BMW M3 in Silver with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.6%.

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 S257 APJ, 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 S257 APJ?

You can check the full history of S257 APJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S257 APJ registered?

S257 APJ is a 1998 BMW M3, first registered on 20 August 1998.

Is S257 APJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for S257 APJ shows 17 tests with a 70.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S257 APJ 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 S257 APJ. 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.