2015 BMW 116 1.6L Petrol · CU15 XGF

The most recent MOT test, carried out on 29 September 2025, returned a pass with a single advisory for a front oil leak, but not excessive. The overall maintenance trend across the recent history is best described as stable and managed rather than genuinely improving. The vehicle failed its test on 17 August 2022 with a major defect for excessive transmission oil leaking and splashing from the gearbox onto the middle exhaust box, which at the time was a serious concern both for potential lubrication loss in the transmission and for the fire risk of oil contacting a hot exhaust component. It was retested and passed only nine days later on 26 August 2022, indicating remedial work was completed promptly, yet an oil leak advisory reappears in 2023 as an oil leak behind the engine area, again in 2025 at the front of the vehicle, with a clean record in 2024. This pattern suggests the original leak was reduced rather than permanently cured at source, leaving a chronic but currently non-excessive seep. The minor offside windscreen damage noted in 2022 does not recur in later tests, implying it was repaired or the screen replaced. The recorded mileage of 105,047 miles across roughly eleven years equates to an average of around 9,550 miles annually, which is consistent with typical UK usage and indicates the car has been in regular, steady service rather than standing idle for prolonged periods. That reduces the likelihood of inactivity-related faults such as seized brake calipers, flat-spotted tyres or perished drive belts through disuse, although these should still be checked. At this absolute mileage, however, you should expect meaningful wear on consumable and driveline components: suspension bushes, drop links, coil springs, dampers, wheel bearings, the clutch and dual-mass flywheel if a manual gearbox is fitted, and turbocharger and timing chain condition on BMW's engines of this era. Verify odometer continuity by comparing the mileage recorded at each MOT test against the current instrument display and the V5C; the two tests nine days apart in August 2022 will naturally show near-identical figures, but any discontinuity elsewhere in the sequence would warrant investigation for mileage tampering. The recurring oil leak is the primary item requiring pre-purchase scrutiny. Given the descriptions in the record, the likely sources include the rocker cover gasket, the oil filter housing gasket, the front crankshaft oil seal, or residual seepage from the gearbox input or output seal area addressed before the 2022 retest. Ask the seller for invoices or workshop documentation covering the repair carried out between the failed test and the retest, as this is critical evidence of what was actually replaced. Inspect the engine-to-gearbox junction and the underside from a ramp, looking for fresh oil film on the sump, gearbox casing and, importantly, the middle exhaust box, since oil residue on that component is the same fire-risk condition that caused the 2022 failure. On the test drive and in the days after, watch for a burning oil smell once the exhaust is hot, smoke from beneath the vehicle, drips on the driveway and a gradual drop in engine oil level between checks. Budget for gasket resealing work if the seep is confirmed, and monitor the oil level weekly until the source is rectified. Separately, the 2023 advisory for both front tyres being slightly damaged, cracked or perishing indicates aged rubber was fitted at that point; confirm the current tyres carry recent DOT date codes, show no sidewall cracking, have tread depth comfortably above the legal 1.6mm minimum, and wear evenly, as feathered or uneven front wear would point to tracking misalignment or worn suspension components. Finally, apply the broader age-and-mile.