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

Free BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto car check

Is the BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto reliable? We analysed 2,562 real MOT tests across 1,200 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 2,562 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
90.3%
Typical Mileage
28,463mi
Annual Mileage
7,771mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
yrs

The BMW 520I 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 520I M Sport MHEV Auto.

BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto Number Plates

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

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

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

90.2%
2023
88.8%
2022
90.9%
2021
90.1%
2020

BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto Common Faults & Problems

These are the most common serious faults found on BMW 520I 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 26
Road wheel fractured 17
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 11
Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure 10
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 8

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

How many miles does a typical BMW 520I 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
5,245 mi/yr
Typical
7,771 mi/yr
Average
9,635 mi/yr
Heavy usage
11,498 mi/yr

BMW 520I 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 520I M Sport MHEV Auto year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2023 122 90.2% 15,617 22,916 29,615
2022 788 88.8% 19,228 27,159 36,040
2021 1,225 90.9% 21,477 30,456 41,796
2020 353 90.1% 20,921 29,136 40,946

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

Based on 1,200 BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto vehicles on UK roads.

Average
3.1 years
Median
3.0 years

BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all BMW 520I 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
28,463 mi
75th Percentile
39,288 mi
95th Percentile
62,758 mi
Max Recorded
256,588 mi

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

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

Best year
2021

90.9% MOT pass rate from 1,225 tests

Year to avoid
2022

88.8% MOT pass rate from 788 tests

The best year to buy a used BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto is 2021, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 90.9% across 1,225 tests. The 2022 model year has the lowest pass rate at 88.8% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the BMW 520I 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 520I M Sport MHEV Auto THIS CAR 90.3% 2,562 28,463 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
Volkswagen Touareg V6 Black Edition TSI A 91.3% 2,210 33,261 mi — yrs

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

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

The BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto has an overall MOT pass rate of 90.3% across 2,562 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 520I 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 520I M Sport MHEV Auto owner drives around 7,771 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 520I M Sport MHEV Auto — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto reliable?
Based on 2,562 MOT tests, the BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto has a 90.3% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto?
The most common failure point is general wear and tear.
How many miles does a BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto do per year?
The typical BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto does around 7,771 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto last?
Lifespan data is not yet available for this model.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a BMW 520I 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 520I M Sport MHEV Auto?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used BMW 520I M Sport MHEV Auto is 2021 with a 90.9% pass rate across 1,225 tests.