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D581 ELM

1986 BMW M3

Black Petrol 2300cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Oct 2026
Tests8 (4 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

14,309 mi
Last recorded14,309 miles
Recorded on14 Oct 2025
Typical for 1986 BMW M3117,566 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationD581 ELM
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1986
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,300cc

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

4 pass 4 fail
Pass 14 Oct 2025 14,309 miles
Pass 18 Oct 2018 14,292 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 18 Oct 2018 14,292 miles

Fuel pipe leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 15 Oct 2018 14,286 miles

Nearside Side repeater missing (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Side repeater missing (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 28 Jun 2007 14,256 miles
Fail 20 Jun 2007 14,256 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Front Direction indicator excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.4.A.2e)

Nearside Front Road wheel badly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

front wishbone rear bushes slightly torn

rear suspension outer crossmember bush slightly torn

Pass 13 Apr 2006 14,221 miles

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

No rear seats fitted at time of test

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

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

Fail 12 Apr 2006 14,221 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Headlamp extinguishes when tapped lightly by hand (1.2.4c)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure (3.6.B.3) DANGEROUS

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

No rear seats fitted at time of test

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

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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D581 ELM is a 1986 BMW M3 in Black with a 2,300cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 8 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

Across all 1986 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.8% with a typical mileage of 117,566 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 D581 ELM, 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 40 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 D581 ELM?

You can check the full history of D581 ELM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was D581 ELM registered?

D581 ELM is a 1986 BMW M3, first registered on 31 December 1986.

Is D581 ELM safe to buy?

The MOT history for D581 ELM shows 8 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does D581 ELM 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 D581 ELM. 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.