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AB05 SMB

2008 BMW 520

Black Diesel 1995cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Jul 2026
Tests18 (14 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

169,581 mi
Last recorded169,581 miles
Recorded on1 Jul 2025
Typical for 2008 BMW 520106,497 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationAB05 SMB
MakeBMW
Model520
Year2008
ColourBlack
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine1,995cc

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

14 pass 4 fail
Pass 1 Jul 2025 169,581 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 27 Jun 2025 169,580 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 22 Jul 2024 165,829 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2023 161,220 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Offside Front tyre wearing low on inner edge

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated both sides (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 24 Mar 2022 154,365 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2021 140,795 miles
Fail 5 Mar 2021 140,622 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Mar 2020 127,954 miles
Pass 8 Oct 2018 123,096 miles

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

offside parking brake efficiency low overall percentage just passed

Pass 20 Oct 2017 113,885 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 16 Oct 2017 113,885 miles

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm and starting to show cords (4.1.E.1) DANGEROUS

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 23 Sep 2016 107,661 miles

underbody covers fitted obscuring some items from view

Fail 20 Sep 2016 107,650 miles

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

underbody covers fitted obscuring some items from view

Pass 6 Oct 2015 97,157 miles

under body covers fitted not allowing some items to be fully checked

Pass 8 Oct 2014 86,553 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2013 79,074 miles
Pass 13 Oct 2012 59,676 miles
Pass 17 Nov 2011 42,358 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 520?

Based on 1,661,806 MOT tests across 152,584 vehicles.

78.5%
Pass Rate
7,968
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
152,584
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 47,121
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 22,647
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,724
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 15,884
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 14,720
Full BMW 520 reliability report

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AB05 SMB is a 2008 BMW 520 in Black with a 1,995cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 2008 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.2% with a typical mileage of 106,497 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a BMW 520 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 47,121 recorded failures. If you're considering buying AB05 SMB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 520 typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 18 years old, this BMW 520 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AB05 SMB?

You can check the full history of AB05 SMB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AB05 SMB registered?

AB05 SMB is a 2008 BMW 520, first registered on 9 October 2008.

Is AB05 SMB safe to buy?

The MOT history for AB05 SMB shows 18 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AB05 SMB 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 AB05 SMB. 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.