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BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto car check

Is the BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto reliable? We analysed 22,502 real MOT tests across 8,211 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 22,502 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
89.0%
Typical Mileage
38,370mi
Annual Mileage
10,122mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto.

BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto Number Plates

Number plates registered to a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

89.5%
2023
88.6%
2022
87.7%
2021
89.4%
2020
89.9%
2019

BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 284
Road wheel fractured 136
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 90
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 85

BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
6,681 mi/yr
Typical
10,122 mi/yr
Average
12,466 mi/yr
Heavy usage
15,017 mi/yr

BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2023 458 89.5% 21,236 29,966 41,756
2022 3,440 88.6% 24,376 33,473 47,046
2021 4,414 87.7% 26,526 37,376 50,711
2020 11,680 89.4% 27,596 39,575 55,322
2019 1,868 89.9% 29,136 42,751 60,694

How Long Does a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto Last?

Based on 8,211 BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto vehicles on UK roads.

Average
3.7 years
Median
4.0 years

BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
38,370 mi
75th Percentile
53,761 mi
95th Percentile
87,249 mi
Max Recorded
340,680 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2019

89.9% MOT pass rate from 1,868 tests

Year to avoid
2021

87.7% MOT pass rate from 4,414 tests

The best year to buy a used BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto is 2019, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 89.9% across 1,868 tests. The 2021 model year has the lowest pass rate at 87.7% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto THIS CAR 89.0% 22,502 38,370 mi — yrs
BMW 3 Series 75.1% 12,840,406 90,743 mi 37 yrs
BMW 118 81.5% 1,923,256 64,042 mi 22 yrs
BMW X5 77% 1,735,343 83,401 mi 25 yrs
Honda SCV100 76.9% 40,507 10,563 mi 23 yrs

Compared to the BMW 3 Series (75.1% pass rate) and the BMW 118 (81.5% pass rate), the BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto outperforms both on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto?

The BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto has an overall MOT pass rate of 89.0% across 22,502 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.

A typical BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto owner drives around 10,122 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto reliable?
Based on 22,502 MOT tests, the BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto has a 89.0% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto do per year?
The typical BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto does around 10,122 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used BMW 520D M Sport MHEV Auto is 2019 with a 89.9% pass rate across 1,868 tests.