CarVerify

Free Car Check

SW04 XAL

2004 BMW M3

Black Petrol 3246cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Feb 2027
Tests28 (18 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

99,021 mi
Last recorded99,021 miles
Recorded on10 Feb 2026
Typical for 2004 BMW M369,495 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationSW04 XAL
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year2004
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,246cc

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

18 pass 10 fail
Pass 10 Feb 2026 99,021 miles
Pass 7 Feb 2025 96,331 miles
Pass 14 Feb 2024 94,347 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2021 90,934 miles
Fail 25 Oct 2021 90,934 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 28 Oct 2020 89,725 miles
Pass 25 May 2019 88,294 miles
Pass 12 May 2018 87,102 miles

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

Pass 22 Jan 2018 86,739 miles

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

Nearside front brake disc splash shield partially insecure

Oil leak Rear diff ()

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

Pass 26 Jan 2017 80,885 miles

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

Nearside Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Offside Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

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

Fail 23 Jan 2017 80,885 miles

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

Tyre pressure monitoring system warning lamp indicates a fault (4.1.D.4)

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

Nearside Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Offside Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

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

Pass 5 Feb 2016 73,631 miles

rear brake discs slightly corroded

slight brake vibration offside rear

Fail 3 Feb 2016 73,631 miles

Offside Headlamp cleaning device inoperative (1.7.2)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

brake wear warning light on

condensation within offside headlamp

front and rear brake discs have slight corrosion

slight rear brake vibration

tyre pressure monitoring light is on

Pass 1 Jun 2015 72,147 miles

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

both front tyres cracked but no cord showing

Fail 20 May 2015 72,146 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 7 May 2014 68,947 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

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

Fail 6 May 2014 68,946 miles

Headlamp levelling device obviously defective (1.7.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

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

Pass 22 Apr 2013 63,663 miles

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

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

exhaust brackets between rear and center box corroded but not inscure

Fail 19 Apr 2013 63,658 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

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

Pass 14 Nov 2011 60,134 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Fail 11 Nov 2011 60,130 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

stability sensor detached at offside front

Pass 8 Oct 2010 54,766 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2009 50,424 miles

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 27 Oct 2009 50,422 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 2 Sep 2008 43,441 miles
Fail 2 Sep 2008 43,441 miles

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

Pass 9 Aug 2007 36,536 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 9 Aug 2007 36,536 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

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

Offside 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

SW04 XAL is a 2004 BMW M3 in Black with a 3,246cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 2004 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 80.0% with a typical mileage of 69,495 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 SW04 XAL, 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 22 years old, this BMW M3 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of SW04 XAL?

You can check the full history of SW04 XAL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was SW04 XAL registered?

SW04 XAL is a 2004 BMW M3, first registered on 12 August 2004.

Is SW04 XAL safe to buy?

The MOT history for SW04 XAL shows 28 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does SW04 XAL 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 SW04 XAL. 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.