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S53 APC

1998 BMW Z3

Red Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Jul 2027
Tests30 (21 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

90,231 mi
Last recorded90,231 miles
Recorded on8 Jul 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW Z376,857 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

RegistrationS53 APC
MakeBMW
ModelZ3
Year1998
ColourRed
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

21 pass 9 fail
Pass 8 Jul 2026 90,231 miles

Brake hose slightly deteriorated n/s & o/s front & rear (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Fail 23 Jun 2026 90,231 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Brake hose slightly deteriorated n/s & o/s front & rear (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 27 May 2025 85,814 miles
Fail 19 May 2025 85,814 miles

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 24 Jun 2024 84,768 miles

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

Fail 17 Jun 2024 84,764 miles

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

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 16 Jun 2023 83,137 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2.2mm (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 15 Jun 2023 83,137 miles

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2.2mm (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 1.8mm (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 1.8mm (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 15 Jun 2022 76,879 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2021 73,503 miles

Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

Pass 17 Jun 2020 72,821 miles
Pass 16 Apr 2019 72,379 miles
Fail 15 Apr 2019 72,379 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 8 May 2018 70,224 miles

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

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

Oil leak

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 4 May 2018 70,224 miles

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 10 Apr 2017 66,749 miles

Brake hose slightly deteriorated nsf osf flexi (3.6.B.4d)

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

Oil leak

Pass 31 Mar 2016 61,135 miles
Pass 8 Apr 2015 54,725 miles

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

offside rear tyre crackin g splitting on side wall edge

Fail 7 Apr 2015 54,700 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

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

offside rear tyre crackin g splitting on side wall edge

Pass 15 Apr 2014 43,664 miles

Centre Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

Offside Upper Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 23 Apr 2013 34,322 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2013 34,322 miles

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 29 May 2012 34,099 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2011 33,688 miles

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

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

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

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

front discs slightly worn

Pass 27 May 2010 32,885 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2009 32,444 miles

brake pipes pitted

front brake pads worn low

power steering fluid leak

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

Pass 10 Jun 2008 32,022 miles
Fail 9 Jun 2008 32,022 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

FRONT WISH BONE REAR BUSHERS WORN

Pass 8 Jun 2007 30,926 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2006 30,073 miles

Oil leak

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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S53 APC is a 1998 BMW Z3 in Red with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

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 S53 APC, 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 S53 APC?

You can check the full history of S53 APC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S53 APC registered?

S53 APC is a 1998 BMW Z3, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is S53 APC safe to buy?

The MOT history for S53 APC shows 30 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S53 APC 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 S53 APC. 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.