Should I be put off by frequent MOT failures?

[camcc]

Hi all,

Wasn't sure which section to post this in... after 13 years abroad I'm back in the UK and thinking about buying another Z4.

Looking for advice on whether I should be put off by a car with frequent MOT failures?

I've seen an exceptionally clean 95k mile 2005 2.5i - not a mark on the bodywork and excellent interior (drivers seat immaculate) with a good service history... but seems to have regularly failed MOTs for a variety of reasons.

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/results?registration=LF05+ULO

 

[bigwinn]

Engine oil on minimum should start to worry your purchasing decision.

It’s not been cared for in its life

Now that doesn’t mean catastrophic failure tomorrow but it can mean other things have been scrimped on!

 

[enuff_zed]

To me it's been owned by people who never open the bonnet, wait for warning lights to come on, then take it to a garage and pay through the nose to get a stamp in a book.
Makes a mockery of FSH really.
Plenty more out there unless you can knock a lot off the price.

As an aside, wasn't aware engine oil level was part of an MOT check? I guess if it puts a warning light on though..................

 

[Mr Tidy]

That definitely looks like one to avoid, unless it's dirt cheap!

 

[Sludgepump]

Seeing the oil level not being addressed at the re-test in 2021 tells me the car isn't as loved as it should be. Having said that there isn't too much that would concern me given that it's approaching a relatively high mileage. There's no mention of rust on chassis or brake lines which is something I try and avoid (although this isn't generally an issue for the Z4 which is usually pretty good in the rust department). It's a 2005 car - now approaching 18 years old. At this age I ALWAYS buy on condition. Obviously a good service history and mot record will be a bonus. Your prospective purchase has good bodywork, interior and service history. If the price is right the MOT history shouldn't stop you buying what seems to be a nice car. It's good to check the MOT history. As an aside, I once saw a car advertised as 'One lady owner' where the EML light was an advisory on four consecutive MOT's. Now that may or may not be a genuine issue but it tells me that the car was not loved!

 

[Zedebee]

It really depends what you want it for. If you want a reliable daily, then you want to know it’s been looked after. If you are after a garage fiddler, or are prepared to get your hands dirty preparing a summer fun car, then you shouldn’t be put off too much. Everything is possible on these cars. Exceptionally good paint/bodywork is a good start, as chips, dents and rust are not easily DIYable unless you have the skills/equipment, and panels can be hard to come by.
Just make sure you pay a price which takes everything into account and don’t get conned into paying a premium price for a car that will need a lot of work.

 

[Rockhopper]

Wouldn’t bother me in the slightest, infact it’s not something I’ve ever bothered to check in all the years I’ve been buying cars.
At the very least you know some money has been spent on it.

 

[thecremeegg]

Mine fails most years tbh, the joy of having a 20 year old car on 150k miles...

 

[brillomaster]

That looks fine. In the last 7 years, its only actually failed on low rear brake pads, suspension bushes and some electrics.

Advisories are just that- advisories. My last mot had an advisory list as long as my arm, but for a car with 150,000 miles on thats 15 years old, i think thats par for the course.
And as said, not much mention of rust, which is the real difficult one to fix. Tyres, brakes, shocks, suspension components are all fairly par for the course.

 

[camcc]

Thanks all for your input!

 

[Pondrew]

As said above it sounds like a car that has been cosmetically pampered but mechanically ignored.

I think the online MOT history is a brilliant thing as it can tell a 'story' of how a car has been looked after (or not). I don't know about anybody else but I always spend half a day checking as much as I can on a car the day before it goes for it's MOT.

 

[raymond.harper]

A bit worrying but assuming the engine has good oil pressure I would not rule it out if the price was right. Anyway, a good bargaining chip to use.

 

[camcc]

I went to look at the car today... There were obvious signs of a pretty sloppy respray (which explains the immaculate bodywork in the pictures) a 6 year/20,000 mile gap in servicing and a few other electrical issues which ultimately led me to walk away.

One to avoid if you happen to see it on Auto Trader!

 

[Zedebee]

Is this the Jancar one in Sandhurst? It is noted as an Import which would put me off in the first place and also appears to have a hole in the roof.
How could you tell it’s been resprayed? I only ask because bmw didn't spray inside the bonnet shuts (at least they didn’t on all three of my pre-LCIs), so they all look like they have had a shoddy respray.
Still, there’s much better value elsewhere.

 

[camcc]

Is this the Jancar one in Sandhurst? It is noted as an Import which would put me off in the first place and also appears to have a hole in the roof.
How could you tell it’s been resprayed? I only ask because bmw didn't spray inside the bonnet shuts (at least they didn’t on all three of my pre-LCIs), so they all look like they have had a shoddy respray.
Still, there’s much better value elsewhere.

Yes, that's the one. It was imported from Germany a few months after purchase by the 1st owner who was in the military.
It's not a hole in the roof but a pulled thread - still not ideal. I could tell it was resprayed because there were drips/runs around the grills. The thin bits of black plastic between the bumper sides and wings (front and rear) were half sprayed like they weren't taped properly. The underside of the bonnet was silver rather than a kind of matte white like the rest of the engine bay was (not sure if that's normal?). Unsure if it was sprayed following accident damage or to freshen-up the car, but it's clear it hasn't been particularly well looked after. Reduced to £3699 on the forecourt if anyone is interested.

I feel like there are few Z4s on the market at the moment, or my timing is just poor... I will keep looking patiently!

 

[Zedebee]

I see you are in Godalming. If you need a second opinion on a local prospective purchase, let me know.