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C3 JLW

2003 BMW 520

White Petrol 2171cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Feb 2027
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

63,238 mi
Last recorded63,238 miles
Recorded on30 Jan 2026
Typical for 2003 BMW 52084,985 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationC3 JLW
MakeBMW
Model520
Year2003
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,171cc

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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 30 Jan 2026 63,238 miles

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Fail 30 Jan 2026 63,238 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 7 Feb 2025 61,900 miles

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

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

Fail 6 Feb 2025 61,897 miles

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

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 2 Oct 2023 60,309 miles

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

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Oct 2022 58,555 miles

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

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

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

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension component pin or bush slightly worn knuckle (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 12 Oct 2022 58,555 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension component pin or bush slightly worn knuckle (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 14 Oct 2021 57,073 miles

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement knuckle (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 14 Oct 2021 57,073 miles

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement knuckle (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 5 Oct 2020 55,965 miles

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

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Fail 28 Sep 2020 55,943 miles

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Pass 9 Oct 2019 54,366 miles
Fail 9 Oct 2019 54,366 miles

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

Pass 9 Oct 2018 51,291 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2017 47,624 miles
Fail 10 Oct 2017 47,624 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 28 Sep 2016 43,892 miles
Fail 28 Sep 2016 43,892 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded to rear (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded to rear (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 5 Oct 2015 41,081 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Oct 2014 38,046 miles

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

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

Pass 10 Oct 2013 35,688 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 9 Oct 2012 33,452 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 5 Oct 2011 30,735 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2010 27,879 miles
Fail 29 Sep 2010 27,856 miles

Offside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 7 Oct 2009 41,035 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2008 36,606 miles

all four tyres perished

Pass 27 Sep 2007 19,806 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2006 14,849 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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C3 JLW is a 2003 BMW 520 in White with a 2,171cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

Across all 2003 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 74.5% with a typical mileage of 84,985 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 C3 JLW, 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 23 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 C3 JLW?

You can check the full history of C3 JLW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C3 JLW registered?

C3 JLW is a 2003 BMW 520, first registered on 18 September 2003.

Is C3 JLW safe to buy?

The MOT history for C3 JLW shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C3 JLW 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 C3 JLW. 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.