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S261 ETX

1998 BMW Z3

Blue Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Aug 2027
Tests30 (22 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate73.3%

Mileage

67,494 mi
Last recorded67,494 miles
Recorded on3 Aug 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationS261 ETX
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

22 pass 8 fail
Pass 3 Aug 2026 67,494 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Wearing unevenly inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

Fail 31 Jul 2026 67,494 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Wearing unevenly inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

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

Pass 25 Jul 2025 65,894 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 7 Aug 2024 61,660 miles

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

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

Rear dff mount bush split

Pass 10 Aug 2023 59,832 miles

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

Pass 4 Aug 2022 57,843 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2021 55,990 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2020 54,063 miles

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

Fail 7 Aug 2020 54,063 miles

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

Offside Front Driver's seat moving inadvertently (6.2.5 (b) (ii))

Pass 15 Aug 2019 53,330 miles

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

Fail 15 Aug 2019 53,330 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 14 Aug 2018 52,124 miles

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

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

Pass 2 Aug 2017 50,389 miles
Fail 2 Aug 2017 50,388 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 hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Pass 4 Aug 2016 48,771 miles

top and bottom guards

Pass 23 Jul 2015 47,288 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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)

Fail 31 Jul 2014 45,548 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Oil leak

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 31 Jul 2014 45,548 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Oil leak

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 29 Jul 2013 44,474 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Exhaust corroded

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

NSF and OSF tyre sidewalls deteriorated

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 13 Aug 2012 39,129 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Pass 29 Jul 2011 35,336 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Oil leak

nearside & offside front tyres deteriorating on sidewalls

unable to see rear brake pads

Pass 9 Aug 2010 31,619 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2009 28,850 miles
Fail 3 Aug 2009 28,850 miles

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

wipers smearing slightly and juddering

Pass 5 Aug 2008 28,135 miles
Fail 4 Aug 2008 28,132 miles

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

Pass 15 Aug 2007 27,345 miles
Pass 16 Aug 2006 26,333 miles

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

Pass 16 Aug 2005 24,716 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2005 24,709 miles

Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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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S261 ETX is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Blue with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.3%.

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 S261 ETX, 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 S261 ETX?

You can check the full history of S261 ETX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S261 ETX registered?

S261 ETX is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 24 August 1998.

Is S261 ETX safe to buy?

The MOT history for S261 ETX shows 30 tests with a 73.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S261 ETX 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 S261 ETX. 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.