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56 EK

1999 BMW 3 Series

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Jun 2027
Tests33 (20 pass, 13 fail)
Pass rate60.6%

Mileage

159,766 mi
Last recorded159,766 miles
Recorded on8 Jun 2026
Typical for 1999 BMW 3 Series102,120 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

Registration56 EK
MakeBMW
Model3 Series
Year1999
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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

20 pass 13 fail
Pass 8 Jun 2026 159,766 miles

rear tyres have fouled inner wings

reversing lamps inoperative

windscreen washers could be better

Fail 8 Jun 2026 159,765 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

rear tyres have fouled inner wings

reversing lamps inoperative

windscreen washers could be better

Pass 11 Jun 2025 158,741 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2025 158,741 miles

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

Pass 20 May 2024 158,451 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 30 May 2023 158,013 miles
Fail 30 May 2023 158,011 miles

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

Pass 24 May 2022 157,690 miles
Fail 23 May 2022 157,689 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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))

Front Exhaust system insecure mounting broken (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 2 Jun 2021 156,771 miles

slight imbalance of front brakes

Fail 2 Jun 2021 156,771 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

slight imbalance of front brakes

Fail 2 Jun 2021 156,762 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Front exhaust bracket broken

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Rear tyres perished

Pass 7 Dec 2019 155,774 miles
Pass 3 Nov 2018 154,825 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2017 153,726 miles

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

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

both front tyres slightly cracked

o/s suspension slightly lower

Fail 8 Nov 2017 153,725 miles

Front registration plate displaying a honeycomb or similar effect background (6.3.3)

Rear registration plate displaying a honeycomb or similar effect background (6.3.3)

rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b)

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

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

both front tyres slightly cracked

o/s suspension slightly lower

Pass 27 Oct 2016 147,367 miles

considerable play in both deteriorating front suspension lower wishbone rear mountings

Fail 27 Oct 2016 147,365 miles

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

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

considerable play in both deteriorating front suspension lower wishbone rear mountings

Pass 3 Nov 2015 31,754 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Fail 3 Nov 2015

Nearside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Pass 14 Oct 2014 31,288 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 14 Oct 2014 31,286 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Offside rear parking (secondary) brake grabbing severely (3.7.B.6b)

rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b)

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 14 Oct 2013 30,654 miles

slight inbalance of front brakes

wipers could be better

Fail 14 Oct 2013 30,653 miles

Nearside Outer Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

slight inbalance of front brakes

wipers could be better

Pass 15 Oct 2012 29,456 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2012 29,456 miles

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 13 Oct 2011 28,221 miles

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

imbalance of front brakes just within limits

tyres have fouled on inner wings

Pass 18 Oct 2010 27,546 miles
Pass 22 Oct 2009 26,263 miles

offside front tyre very close to fouling "inner wing "

Pass 2 Oct 2008 25,213 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2007 23,234 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2006 20,004 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2006 20,002 miles

Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

exhaust 'knocking'

slight play in front suspension wishbones rear bushes

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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56 EK is a 1999 BMW 3 Series in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 33 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60.6%.

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 56 EK, 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 56 EK?

You can check the full history of 56 EK by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 56 EK registered?

56 EK is a 1999 BMW 3 Series, first registered on 20 October 1999.

Is 56 EK safe to buy?

The MOT history for 56 EK shows 33 tests with a 60.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 56 EK 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 56 EK. 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.