BMW M31996 · 3.2L PETROL

The most recent MOT on 12 June 2009 was a PASS at 85 025 mi. The test noted deteriorated front‑suspension arm rubber bushes on both sides, slight play in the off‑side front track‑rod end ball joint, and slight play in the off‑side rear lower trailing arm. The near‑side front tyre was also close to the legal tread limit. Earlier that same month (02 June 2009) the car FAILED because the near‑side rear lower trailing arm had excessive play, while the same front‑suspension bushes and ball‑joint play were already recorded. In 2008 the car failed twice: once for an ABS warning lamp fault and a front‑suspension ball‑joint with excessive play, and once with a clean pass. The 2006 MOT was clean. The pattern that emerges is a recurring wear of the front‑suspension bushes and ball‑joint play, plus developing play in the rear lower trailing arms. The 2009 pass shows the issues have not yet progressed to excessive movement, suggesting a modest improvement from the 2009 failure, but the underlying wear is still present and could worsen with age. At roughly 2 800 mi per year, the mileage is very low for a 30‑year‑old BMW M3. Low mileage can mean the car has been lightly used, which may have spared major wear on engine and drivetrain components.