1983 BMW 628 2.8L Petrol · SOX 718Y

The 1983 BMW 628Cs current roadworthiness status is valid, having passed its most recent MOT on 7 October 2025 at 119,768 miles. The maintenance trend is broadly stable but shows a pattern of recurring minor wear rather than serious deterioration. The October 2025 pass came with two advisories for worn nearside and offside front inner suspension arm pins or bushes, noted as not yet causing excessive movement. This is a step up in flagged items compared to the clean passes recorded in February 2024 and October 2021, yet it remains a low-severity finding typical of a classic car of this age and mileage. The mileage pattern is notably low for a 43-year-old vehicle. Between October 2021 at 116,146 miles and October 2025 at 119,768 miles, the car covered just 3,622 miles over four years, averaging roughly 905 miles annually in that window. Earlier, the jump from 118,521 miles in October 2022 to 118,598 miles in February 2024 shows only 77 miles in approximately 16 months, suggesting prolonged periods of limited use or standing. Such low annual accumulation, around 2,785 miles per year over the vehicles life, reduces consumable wear but raises questions about dried seals, perished rubber components, and brake corrosion from sitting idle. The MOT history flags two areas a buyer should inspect closely: front suspension wear and structural corrosion. The October 2025 advisories for worn inner suspension arm bushes on both sides indicate the front end is beginning to show age-related play. A physical check should assess not only the bushes themselves but also the condition of the coil springs, shock absorbers, and track rod ends, as these components work in concert and wear together. The 2022 failure is more significant. It recorded corrosion on both front chassis rails and both rear jacking points, with the nearside rear jacking point corroded to the point of significantly reduced structural rigidity. Although the car passed in 2023 and 2025 without repeat structural corrosion failures, this does not guarantee the affected areas were repaired rather than simply re-tested within tolerance. An in-person inspection should probe the underside thoroughly, focusing on the front chassis rails, rear jacking points, and any welded seams for fresh metalwork, filler, or surface rust that could indicate ongoing decay beneath the surface. Oil leaks also appear intermittently. The 2023 advisory noted an engine oil leak, and the 2022 failure listed oil leaks on the engine as a defect. The absence of this item in the 2024 and 2025 records suggests the leak may have been addressed, but a buyer should examine the engine block, rocker cover gasket, and sump for fresh seepage or residue. Given the cars low annual mileage, dried gaskets and seals are a realistic concern even where no active leak is currently flagged. A short drive followed by an underside check on a clean surface will reveal whether any fresh oil is present.