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BMW 3 SERIES2012 · 2.0L DIESEL

SL62 AFY

Vehicle Insight Summary

Free vehicle summary for SL62 AFY: 2012 BMW 3 SERIES (WHITE, DIESEL). Mileage: 147,665. MOT: valid. Tax: taxed.

MOT
Valid
Expires 15/11/2026
Tax
Taxed
Expires 01/09/2026
Fuel
DIESEL
Year
2012
Engine
1995cc
Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The vehicle’s most recent MOT on 2025-11-10 at 147,665 miles showed minor issues, including tyres nearing legal limits and steering rack play. These faults mirror earlier records, indicating a stable but unresolved maintenance trend. No new critical failures were recorded, but recurring corrosion on rear coil springs and brake pipes, alongside persistent steering rack play, suggests ongoing mechanical neglect. The car remains roadworthy but requires attention to these systemic issues. The mileage progression shows consistent annual usage of ~10,500 miles, aligning with typical patterns for a 14-year-old vehicle. MOTs from 2022 to 2025 are spaced annually, with no gaps exceeding 12 months, reflecting regular maintenance. However, the 2023 tests revealed significant corrosion on rear coil springs and brake pipes, alongside tyre wear and steering rack play. These findings imply prolonged exposure to corrosive environments or inadequate underbody protection, which may accelerate structural degradation. Key areas for in-person inspection include the rear suspension components for further corrosion, brake discs for lipping or thinning, and the steering rack for play or fluid leaks. The nearside rear tyre’s edge wear and the recurring child seat interference in 2023 tests highlight potential issues with rear seat belt functionality. Buyers should also verify the condition of the exhaust system, as corrosion on brake pipes and the presence of grease-covered unions may indicate unresolved fluid leaks or poor maintenance practices.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

Free vehicle health score

75
/ 100 · Good

Public record health check: Good.

Based on free DVLA & DVSA signals. Premium checks for stolen/finance/write-off history are locked below.

✓ Valid MOT
✓ Taxed
✓ Good MOT pass rate (80%)
! Older vehicle
A score of 75 doesn't mean it's safe to buy. Private markers don't appear in public data.
Verified Experian Data

Full History Report

Official provenance and safety check for SL62AFY

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Stolen
Locked
Finance
Locked
Write-off
Locked
Salvage
Locked
Imported
Locked
Exported
Locked
Scrapped
Locked
Destruction
Locked
V5C Logbook
Locked

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Technical Specifications

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Full MOT History

Live data last synced with DVSA: Jul 16, 2026, 10:23 AM
Expert AI · Mechanic's Insight
The vehicle’s most recent MOT on 2025-11-10 at 147,665 miles showed minor issues, including tyres nearing legal limits and steering rack play. These faults mirror earlier records, indicating a stable but unresolved maintenance trend. No new critical failures were recorded, but recurring corrosion on rear coil springs and brake pipes, alongside persistent steering rack play, suggests ongoing mechanical neglect. The car remains roadworthy but requires attention to these systemic issues. The mileage progression shows consistent annual usage of ~10,500 miles, aligning with typical patterns for a 14-year-old vehicle. MOTs from 2022 to 2025 are spaced annually, with no gaps exceeding 12 months, reflecting regular maintenance. However, the 2023 tests revealed significant corrosion on rear coil springs and brake pipes, alongside tyre wear and steering rack play. These findings imply prolonged exposure to corrosive environments or inadequate underbody protection, which may accelerate structural degradation. Key areas for in-person inspection include the rear suspension components for further corrosion, brake discs for lipping or thinning, and the steering rack for play or fluid leaks. The nearside rear tyre’s edge wear and the recurring child seat interference in 2023 tests highlight potential issues with rear seat belt functionality. Buyers should also verify the condition of the exhaust system, as corrosion on brake pipes and the presence of grease-covered unions may indicate unresolved fluid leaks or poor maintenance practices.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

AI Analysis · MOT Narrative

Checking the history for this 2012 BMW 3 Series (SL62 AFY), we found 5 MOT results in the period of November 2022 to November 2025.

The vehicle has achieved an overall 80% pass rate, with 4 passes and 1 failure recorded. This is a strong MOT track record, suggesting the vehicle has been well-maintained.

The most commonly flagged areas across all MOT tests are: Steering (5 issues), Brakes (5 issues), Tyres (5 issues), Lighting (2 issues), Suspension (2 issues). These areas are worth paying attention to when inspecting this vehicle.

There are 21 advisory notices in the MOT history. Advisories are not failures but indicate areas that may need attention in the future.

A total of 2 failure items have been recorded across all tests. Recent failure items include: “Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))”; “Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords outer sidewall cut to ”.

AI insights are experimental and can be incorrect. All claims should be manually verified.

PASS
FAIL
ADVISORY

Buyer's Guide

AI-powered analysis based on real MOT data and market insights.

Buying Score
55/100
Risk Level
Medium
Medium
Est. Annual Cost
£1,200-£1,500
Mileage
The recorded mileage of 147,665 miles is...

Our Verdict

This BMW 3 Series shows significant maintenance concerns, particularly with steering and braking systems, making it a high-risk purchase unless thoroughly inspected and priced accordingly.

Prioritise a full mechanical inspection of the steering rack and suspension, focusing on the 'play in steering rack inner joint(s)' issues recorded in multiple MOTs. Check for evidence of repairs to brake discs, brake pipes, and rear coil springs. Verify service history for consistency with reported failures. Negotiate heavily due to the high mileage and recurring issues. Be cautious of the 'child seat fitted' problems that hinder full safety inspections.

Reviewed by the IsItAGoodCar editorial team — AI-assisted analysis verified by automotive experts.

Data Sources

DVSA

MOT test records from the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency.

DVLA

Vehicle registration, tax, and specification data.

OneAutoAPI

Market valuation, warranty, and recall intelligence.

AI Analysis

Machine learning insights trained on millions of UK MOT records.

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