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S479 SBJ

1998 BMW Z3

Blue Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Dec 2026
Tests30 (19 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate63.3%

Mileage

186,890 mi
Last recorded186,890 miles
Recorded on11 Dec 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationS479 SBJ
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

19 pass 11 fail
Pass 11 Dec 2025 186,890 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Dec 2024 186,877 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2023 186,822 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2022 186,796 miles

Offside Front Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 6 Dec 2022 186,796 miles

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 3 Dec 2021 186,652 miles

Offside Rear Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Fail 3 Dec 2021 186,650 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 11 Dec 2020 186,376 miles
Fail 8 Dec 2020 186,376 miles

Emissions not tested (8.2.1.2 (d))

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

Nearside Brake cable insecure (1.1.15 (c))

Offside Brake cable insecure (1.1.15 (c))

Pass 5 Jun 2019 185,909 miles

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

Nearside Front Outer Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Offside Front Outer Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Fail 4 Jun 2019 185,909 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Front Outer Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Outer Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 20 Sep 2017 185,143 miles

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

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

Pass 19 Sep 2016 184,404 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2016 184,399 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded by fuel tank two pipes (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 20 Aug 2015 181,777 miles
Fail 13 Aug 2015 181,777 miles

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

Electronic stability system warning lamp indicates a fault (3.4.1c)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

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

Pass 28 Aug 2014 178,342 miles

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

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

Fail 27 Aug 2014 178,342 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 2 Sep 2013 176,086 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2012 174,270 miles

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

offside front outer trim to sill slightly corroded

Fail 21 Aug 2012 174,270 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

offside front outer trim to sill slightly corroded

Pass 26 Jul 2011 171,973 miles

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)

nearside rear axle bush

offside rear axle bush

Fail 25 Jul 2011 171,973 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively 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)

nearside rear axle bush

offside rear axle bush

Pass 26 Jul 2010 169,018 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2009 165,471 miles
Fail 25 Jul 2009 165,471 miles

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 25 Jul 2008 153,709 miles

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

Pass 9 Aug 2007 140,514 miles
Fail 6 Aug 2007 140,514 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 21 Jul 2006 123,797 miles

nearside rear tyre close to limit

rear pads low 2mm †

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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S479 SBJ 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 63.3%.

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 S479 SBJ, 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 S479 SBJ?

You can check the full history of S479 SBJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S479 SBJ registered?

S479 SBJ is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 1 August 1998.

Is S479 SBJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for S479 SBJ shows 30 tests with a 63.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S479 SBJ 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 S479 SBJ. 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.