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S42 AJW

1998 BMW M3

Blue Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Feb 2027
Tests18 (12 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

77,408 mi
Last recorded77,408 miles
Recorded on26 Feb 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW M387,931 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

RegistrationS42 AJW
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1998
ColourBlue
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 6 fail
Pass 26 Feb 2026 77,408 miles

Offside Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 21 Nov 2024 77,402 miles

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

Fail 14 Aug 2024 77,394 miles

Emissions NOx sensor obviously defective (8.2.1.1 (a))

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

engine oil leak

Pass 23 Aug 2023 77,222 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2022 77,148 miles

Nearside Front Macpherson strut mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front/rear jacking points (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Macpherson strut mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front/rear jacking points (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Fail 5 Apr 2022 77,148 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn rubber split (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Nearside Front Macpherson strut mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front/rear jacking points (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Macpherson strut mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front/rear jacking points (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Pass 28 Mar 2014 77,042 miles
Fail 27 Mar 2014 77,042 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Pass 17 Oct 2012 76,104 miles

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 25 Jul 2011 74,719 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2011 74,697 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Pass 22 Apr 2010 70,654 miles

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

Pass 5 Nov 2008 64,335 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2008 64,320 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 19 Oct 2007 58,874 miles

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

Nail in offside rear tyre

Nearside Front Service brake grabbing slightly (3.7.C.2)

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

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

o/s/r tyre worn on outer edge.

Pass 14 Aug 2006 54,766 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2005 49,609 miles

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

Offside Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 15 Aug 2005 49,609 miles

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

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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S42 AJW is a 1998 BMW M3 in Blue with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 S42 AJW, 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 S42 AJW?

You can check the full history of S42 AJW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S42 AJW registered?

S42 AJW is a 1998 BMW M3, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is S42 AJW safe to buy?

The MOT history for S42 AJW shows 18 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S42 AJW 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 S42 AJW. 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.