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S478 AHS

1998 BMW M3

Blue Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 Aug 2014
Tests12 (6 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

164,076 mi
Last recorded164,076 miles
Recorded on23 Aug 2014
Typical for 1998 BMW M387,931 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationS478 AHS
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

6 pass 6 fail
Fail 23 Aug 2014 164,076 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has an excessively worn bush (2.7.4)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

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

center exhaust mount missing

Pass 12 Aug 2013 149,896 miles

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

front exhaust flexi leaking & centre mount broken

play in offside steering rack

Fail 9 Aug 2013 149,896 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 carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

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

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

front exhaust flexi leaking & centre mount broken

play in offside steering rack

Pass 24 Aug 2010 143,600 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Oil leak

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

nsf wishbone bush split

play in both track rods

Fail 23 Aug 2010 143,600 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Oil leak

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

nsf wishbone bush split

play in both track rods

Pass 20 Aug 2009 134,330 miles

excessive engine oil leaks

tyres worn on edges

Pass 27 Aug 2008 125,754 miles

fluid leaking/suspect p.a.s system

Fail 14 Aug 2008 125,738 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

fluid leaking/suspect p.a.s system

Pass 10 Aug 2007 113,600 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2007 113,600 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Bonded suspension unit deteriorated and cannot function as intended (2.4.F.3)

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

Offside Rear Lower Bonded suspension unit deteriorated and cannot function as intended (2.4.F.3)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 10 Aug 2006 102,201 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2006 102,201 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

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

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

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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S478 AHS is a 1998 BMW M3 in Blue with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 S478 AHS, 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 S478 AHS?

You can check the full history of S478 AHS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S478 AHS registered?

S478 AHS is a 1998 BMW M3, first registered on 25 September 1998.

Is S478 AHS safe to buy?

The MOT history for S478 AHS shows 12 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S478 AHS 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 S478 AHS. 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.