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S32 COU

1998 BMW Z3

Red Petrol 2793cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Jan 2027
Tests27 (16 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate59.3%

Mileage

76,911 mi
Last recorded76,911 miles
Recorded on20 Jan 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

RegistrationS32 COU
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,793cc

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

16 pass 11 fail
Pass 20 Jan 2026 76,911 miles

Central Fuel line rusty

Pass 20 Jan 2025 74,319 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2025 74,316 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Pass 23 Jan 2024
Pass 1 Dec 2022 71,440 miles
Pass 1 Jul 2020 70,959 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2018 70,642 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front too rear (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Fail 23 Jul 2018 70,641 miles

Nearside Front Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front too rear (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Pass 3 May 2017

Nearside door stiff

Fail 2 May 2017

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside door stiff

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 4 May 2016 68,327 miles

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play new one fitted maybe faulty?? (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 28 Apr 2016 68,283 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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 Front Bonded suspension unit deteriorated and cannot function as intended wishbone rear bush (2.4.F.3)

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

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

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play new one fitted maybe faulty?? (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 6 May 2015
Fail 5 May 2015

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

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

Nearside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 17 Jul 2014 66,690 miles

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

N/S/R shocker damp

N/S/R tyre low on inner edge

O/S/R tyre cracked

O/S/R tyre low on inner edge

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

both front headlamps dull

front brake pads getting low

fuel cap seal slightly perished

Pass 27 Jul 2013 64,794 miles

rear brake discs corroded on inner faces

Fail 23 Jul 2013 64,755 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

rear brake discs corroded on inner faces

Pass 24 Apr 2012 60,635 miles

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

Fail 17 Apr 2012 60,553 miles

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 20 Apr 2011 56,982 miles
Fail 19 Apr 2011 56,945 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Pass 1 Mar 2010 49,850 miles
Fail 26 Feb 2010 49,806 miles

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

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

air bag light on

Pass 2 Feb 2009 44,232 miles
Fail 2 Feb 2009 44,232 miles

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

Pass 15 Jan 2008 39,280 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2006 31,120 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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S32 COU is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Red with a 2,793cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 59.3%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 S32 COU, 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 S32 COU?

You can check the full history of S32 COU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S32 COU registered?

S32 COU is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 4 September 1998.

Is S32 COU safe to buy?

The MOT history for S32 COU shows 27 tests with a 59.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S32 COU 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 S32 COU. 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.