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S388 MLP

1998 BMW 535

Silver Petrol 3498cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Feb 2027
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

173,423 mi
Last recorded173,423 miles
Recorded on13 Feb 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW 535110,452 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationS388 MLP
MakeBMW
Model535
Year1998
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,498cc

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

20 pass 7 fail
Pass 13 Feb 2026 173,423 miles
Fail 11 Feb 2026 173,418 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 20 Nov 2024 166,515 miles

Front Coil spring corroded Both n/s and o/s (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 12 Nov 2024

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Front Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Nail in tyre ()

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Nail in tyre ()

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

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 3 Jul 2023

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

Pass 13 Jul 2022
Pass 9 Jul 2021
Pass 10 Jul 2020
Pass 8 Jul 2019

Headlamp lens slightly defective Both sides (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Jul 2018

Brake pipe corroded by petrol tank

Pass 12 Jul 2017 134,642 miles

Brake pipe corroded by petrol tank

Exhaust heatshield insecure

n/s/r tyre worn on inner edge

o/s/r tyre valve perished

Pass 22 Jul 2016 130,636 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2015 125,900 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2014 120,844 miles
Fail 11 Jul 2014 120,844 miles

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

Pass 17 Jul 2013 110,635 miles
Fail 16 Jul 2013 110,632 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 23 Jul 2012 101,209 miles

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

Fail 17 Jul 2012 100,971 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 18 Jul 2011 89,194 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 18 Jul 2011 89,194 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 26 Jul 2010 73,748 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2009 65,305 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2008 49,978 miles
Fail 14 Jul 2008 49,974 miles

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

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

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)

Pass 27 Jul 2007 36,683 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2006 26,656 miles

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

n/s/f tyre wearing outer edge

How Reliable is the BMW 535?

Based on 216,162 MOT tests across 18,035 vehicles.

78.7%
Pass Rate
7,094
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
18,035
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 6,346
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 4,237
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 2,669
Brake pipe excessively corroded 2,608
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 2,438
Full BMW 535 reliability report

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S388 MLP is a 1998 BMW 535 in Silver with a 3,498cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

Across all 1998 BMW 535 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.6% with a typical mileage of 110,452 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 535 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 6,346 recorded failures. If you're considering buying S388 MLP, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 535 typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 535 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of S388 MLP?

You can check the full history of S388 MLP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S388 MLP registered?

S388 MLP is a 1998 BMW 535, first registered on 21 August 1998.

Is S388 MLP safe to buy?

The MOT history for S388 MLP shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S388 MLP 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 S388 MLP. 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.