CarVerify

Free Car Check

A17 LRP

1996 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires31 Aug 2026
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

120,688 mi
Last recorded120,688 miles
Recorded on1 Sep 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW 523123,198 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationA17 LRP
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1996
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

17 pass 8 fail
Pass 1 Sep 2025 120,688 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Aug 2024 118,582 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 11 Aug 2023 116,018 miles
Pass 15 Aug 2022 113,756 miles

Central Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Outer Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 15 Aug 2022 113,756 miles

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Central Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Outer Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Aug 2021 111,046 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 5 Aug 2021 110,843 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 4 Aug 2020 109,005 miles

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Fail 30 Jul 2020 108,996 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced (4.1.4 (b))

Rear Registration plate inscription illegible (0.1 (b))

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Pass 31 Jul 2019 107,896 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2019 107,888 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Front Both inner tie rod ball joint have slight play

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 26 Jun 2018 107,226 miles

Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output both sides (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Jul 2017 106,906 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2016 106,291 miles

Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output both sides (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 18 Feb 2015 105,288 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 18 Feb 2014 104,390 miles

Front Upper Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 26 Feb 2013 103,725 miles
Fail 20 Feb 2013 103,713 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 7 Mar 2012 103,248 miles
Fail 6 Mar 2012 103,242 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 23 Feb 2011 101,215 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Fail 22 Feb 2011 101,211 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 8 Sep 2009 100,221 miles
Fail 4 Sep 2009 100,217 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 17 Oct 2006 99,595 miles

Nearside Front Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

How Reliable is the BMW 523?

Based on 254,660 MOT tests across 20,979 vehicles.

69.9%
Pass Rate
5,849
Miles/Year
30
Year Lifespan
20,979
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,201
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,085
parking brake recording little or no effort 9,427
Brake pipe excessively corroded 9,143
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,285
Full BMW 523 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

A17 LRP is a 1996 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

Across all 1996 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.0% with a typical mileage of 123,198 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 523 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 17,201 recorded failures. If you're considering buying A17 LRP, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 523 typically stays on UK roads for around 30 years. At 30 years old, this BMW 523 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of A17 LRP?

You can check the full history of A17 LRP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A17 LRP registered?

A17 LRP is a 1996 BMW 523, first registered on 6 June 1996.

Is A17 LRP safe to buy?

The MOT history for A17 LRP shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A17 LRP have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on A17 LRP. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.