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5038 VT

1999 BMW 3 Series

Silver Petrol 1895cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Nov 2026
Tests32 (21 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate65.6%

Mileage

156,442 mi
Last recorded156,442 miles
Recorded on12 Nov 2025
Typical for 1999 BMW 3 Series102,120 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

Registration5038 VT
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1999
ColourSilver
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 11 fail
Pass 12 Nov 2025 156,442 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2025 156,032 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Pass 24 Oct 2024 151,058 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2023 147,288 miles
Fail 2 Nov 2023 147,288 miles

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 17 Nov 2022 143,488 miles
Fail 16 Nov 2022 143,488 miles

Offside Front Lower Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 15 Nov 2021 139,002 miles

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

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

Pass 18 Nov 2020 135,876 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2020 136,981 miles

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

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

Pass 31 Oct 2019 133,716 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2018 130,587 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2018 130,538 miles

Emissions not tested Due to poor engine idling and rough running. (8.2.1.2 (d))

Pass 3 Nov 2017 126,420 miles

Nearside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Fail 23 Oct 2017 126,412 miles

Central Rear Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

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

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

Nearside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 31 Oct 2016 123,328 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement inner (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement inner (2.4.G.2)

Fail 31 Oct 2016 123,328 miles

Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement inner (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement inner (2.4.G.2)

Pass 24 Nov 2015 120,181 miles
Fail 23 Nov 2015 120,181 miles

Nearside Rear Valve stem seriously damaged (4.1.D.1e)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Offside Rear Valve stem slightly damaged (4.1.D.1e)

Pass 24 Nov 2014 115,349 miles

Emission warning light on.

Fail 24 Nov 2014 115,349 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Emission warning light on.

Pass 21 Nov 2013 110,465 miles
Fail 20 Nov 2013 110,465 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 28 Nov 2012 106,431 miles
Pass 24 Nov 2011 102,521 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2010 98,700 miles
Pass 2 Dec 2009 94,539 miles

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

Pass 28 Nov 2008 84,769 miles
Fail 27 Nov 2008 89,155 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Nov 2007 84,767 miles

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

Pass 28 Nov 2006 79,227 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 24 Nov 2005 71,079 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 3 Series?

Based on 12,840,406 MOT tests across 1,004,285 vehicles.

75.1%
Pass Rate
6,672
Miles/Year
37
Year Lifespan
1,004,285
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 485,475
Brake pipe excessively corroded 323,327
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 253,205
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 185,099
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 182,360
Full BMW 3 Series reliability report

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5038 VT is a 1999 BMW 3 Series in Silver with a 1,895cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 32 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.6%.

Across all 1999 BMW 3 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.0% with a typical mileage of 102,120 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 3 Series fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 485,475 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 5038 VT, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 3 Series typically stays on UK roads for around 37 years. At 27 years old, this BMW 3 Series is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 5038 VT?

You can check the full history of 5038 VT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 5038 VT registered?

5038 VT is a 1999 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 7 December 1999.

Is 5038 VT safe to buy?

The MOT history for 5038 VT shows 32 tests with a 65.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 5038 VT 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 5038 VT. 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.