CarVerify

Free Car Check

C518 NBL

1985 BMW 518

Red Petrol 1766cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 Mar 2020
Tests14 (9 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

169,521 mi
Last recorded169,521 miles
Recorded on21 Mar 2019
Typical for 1985 BMW 51895,332 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC518 NBL
MakeBMW
Model518
Year1985
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,766cc

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

9 pass 5 fail
Pass 21 Mar 2019 169,521 miles
Pass 3 Jun 2015 163,150 miles

slight blow manifold area,corrosion to inner sills/floor,diff leaking

Pass 3 Jun 2014 155,001 miles
Fail 31 May 2014 155,001 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Steering column top bearing slightly worn (2.1.2c)

Pass 5 Jun 2013 152,467 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2013 152,463 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

REAR TYRES CRACKING ON SIDE WALLS

Pass 17 Mar 2012 146,961 miles

Battery insecure

Brake light switch sticking

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

Offside Front Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside washer jet reqs adjusting

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 23 Mar 2011 141,670 miles
Fail 21 Mar 2011 141,967 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nail in offside rear tyre

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

Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 19 Mar 2010 137,024 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2010 137,024 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Outer Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is distorted but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

battery insecure

brake pipes rusty at rear wheel cylinders

metal fuel pipes rusty

nearside headlamp loose and cracked

offside rear brake flex hose insecure in bracket

oil leak at reardiff

Pass 26 Mar 2009 132,774 miles

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

oil leak at rear diff

oil leak underneath engine

Pass 26 Mar 2008 129,209 miles

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Fail 17 Mar 2008 129,178 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

How Reliable is the BMW 518?

Based on 62,660 MOT tests across 8,904 vehicles.

74.0%
Pass Rate
6,367
Miles/Year
41
Year Lifespan
8,904
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 3,373
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2,837
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 1,465
position lamp(s) not working 1,178
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 1,104
Full BMW 518 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

C518 NBL is a 1985 BMW 518 in Red with a 1,766cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 1985 BMW 518 models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.5% with a typical mileage of 95,332 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 518 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 3,373 recorded failures. If you're considering buying C518 NBL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 518 typically stays on UK roads for around 41 years. At 41 years old, this BMW 518 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of C518 NBL?

You can check the full history of C518 NBL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C518 NBL registered?

C518 NBL is a 1985 BMW 518, first registered on 3 September 1985.

Is C518 NBL safe to buy?

The MOT history for C518 NBL shows 14 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C518 NBL 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 C518 NBL. 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.