CarVerify

Free Car Check

E36 MSS

1997 BMW M3

Purple Petrol 3201cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Jan 2027
Tests13 (9 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

69,233 mi
Last recorded69,233 miles
Recorded on5 Jan 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW M396,985 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationE36 MSS
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1997
ColourPurple
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,201cc

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

9 pass 4 fail
Pass 5 Jan 2026 69,233 miles

Nearside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule both (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 19 Sep 2024 69,185 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive both sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive both sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 19 Sep 2024 69,185 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive both sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive both sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 20 Jan 2023 68,941 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 28 Oct 2021 68,917 miles

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 7 Sep 2020 68,554 miles
Fail 7 Sep 2020 68,549 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator missing (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 1 Feb 2018 68,483 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2012 68,468 miles

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

center brake light in operative

Pass 2 Dec 2011 66,761 miles

Slight power steering fluid leak

Fail 2 Dec 2011 66,761 miles

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

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

Slight power steering fluid leak

Pass 2 Dec 2010 53,723 miles

All brake pipes are surface corroded

Fuel pipes are surface corroded

N/S/R Shock absorber and both front shock absorber outer casings are surface corroded

Fail 28 Jun 2010 53,690 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage severely distorted (2.4.G.1)

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

Offside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

All brake pipes are very heavily surface corroded

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Drivers door window glass broken

Fuel pipes are very heavily surface corroded

N/S/R Shock absorber outer caseing is heavily surface corroded

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

E36 MSS is a 1997 BMW M3 in Purple with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

Across all 1997 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.9% with a typical mileage of 96,985 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 E36 MSS, 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 29 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 E36 MSS?

You can check the full history of E36 MSS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E36 MSS registered?

E36 MSS is a 1997 BMW M3, first registered on 11 August 1997.

Is E36 MSS safe to buy?

The MOT history for E36 MSS shows 13 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E36 MSS 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 E36 MSS. 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.