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S51 FVE

1998 BMW M3

Black Petrol 3201cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Oct 2026
Tests15 (11 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate73.3%

Mileage

117,650 mi
Last recorded117,650 miles
Recorded on27 Oct 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW M387,931 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationS51 FVE
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1998
ColourBlack
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

11 pass 4 fail
Pass 27 Oct 2025 117,650 miles
Fail 24 Oct 2025 117,650 miles

Offside Front All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 22 Oct 2024 116,720 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2023 116,229 miles
Pass 7 May 2022 116,175 miles

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Front Fog Lamp Not Working

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 15 Mar 2022 116,110 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear brake pipe corroded

Offside Rear brake pipe corroded

front brake discs corroded

front windscreen damaged

rear brake discs corroded

Pass 24 Apr 2013 111,958 miles

Oil leak

front tyres worn on inner edges.

Fail 24 Apr 2013 111,958 miles

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

Oil leak

front tyres worn on inner edges.

Pass 29 Mar 2012 111,954 miles

Oil leak

Rear Direction indicators slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

front tyres worn on inner edges.

Pass 28 Sep 2010 110,636 miles

Oil leak

Pass 17 Mar 2009 98,412 miles

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

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

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Oil leak

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

both front tyres worn on edges

Fail 3 Mar 2009 110,144 miles

Brake pedal creeps down while the pedal is held under pressure (3.3.B.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

Offside Front Brake hose twisted (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Oil leak

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

both front tyres worn on edges

Pass 13 Dec 2007 103,200 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2006 91,945 miles

O/S front flexi brake hose twisted

Pass 17 Nov 2005 81,199 miles

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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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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S51 FVE is a 1998 BMW M3 in Black with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.3%.

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 S51 FVE, 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 S51 FVE?

You can check the full history of S51 FVE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S51 FVE registered?

S51 FVE is a 1998 BMW M3, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is S51 FVE safe to buy?

The MOT history for S51 FVE shows 15 tests with a 73.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S51 FVE 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 S51 FVE. 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.