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E39 MSP

1999 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Jul 2026
Tests29 (19 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate65.5%

Mileage

253,614 mi
Last recorded253,614 miles
Recorded on23 Jul 2025
Typical for 1999 BMW 523117,158 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationE39 MSP
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1999
ColourGreen
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

19 pass 10 fail
Pass 23 Jul 2025 253,614 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Apr 2024 253,177 miles
Pass 19 May 2023 251,378 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))

Pass 15 Apr 2022 249,097 miles
Fail 10 Dec 2020 249,090 miles

Nearside Brake pipe excessively corroded Front to rear at centre and rear (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Rear arm, outer (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn Rear arm, outer (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded Front to rear at centre and rear (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Rear arm, outer (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn Rear arm, outer (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Dec 2019 245,188 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material FRONT TO REAR (1.1.11 (c))

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

Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Fail 13 Dec 2019 245,174 miles

Emissions not tested RADIATOR BURST DURING EMISSIONS TEST (8.2.1.2 (d))

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

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material FRONT TO REAR (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 4 Jan 2019 236,112 miles

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 28 Dec 2018 236,095 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 20 Dec 2017 221,449 miles
Fail 18 Dec 2017 221,447 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Pass 22 Dec 2016 209,614 miles

nearside rear parking brake low reading

Fail 22 Dec 2016 209,614 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

nearside rear parking brake low reading

Pass 12 Dec 2015 196,804 miles
Pass 22 Dec 2014 184,360 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

headlights condensated

nearside front foglight damaged

Pass 14 Dec 2013 172,354 miles

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

handbrake requires attention

unable to see brake pads clearly

Fail 13 Dec 2013 172,354 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

handbrake requires attention

unable to see brake pads clearly

Pass 18 Dec 2012 160,713 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 17 Dec 2012 160,698 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

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

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

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

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

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

Offside 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)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 28 Dec 2011 149,033 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

front brake pads appear worn low

Pass 30 Dec 2010 137,130 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2010 124,906 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 3 Jan 2009 113,796 miles
Fail 2 Jan 2009 113,795 miles

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 10 Jan 2008 103,578 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2008 103,786 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Pass 23 Dec 2006 93,634 miles

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

Pass 3 Jan 2006 82,617 miles
Fail 30 Dec 2005 82,617 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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E39 MSP is a 1999 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.5%.

Across all 1999 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.7% with a typical mileage of 117,158 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 523 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 17,201 recorded failures. If you're considering buying E39 MSP, 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 27 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 E39 MSP?

You can check the full history of E39 MSP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E39 MSP registered?

E39 MSP is a 1999 BMW 523, first registered on 4 January 1999.

Is E39 MSP safe to buy?

The MOT history for E39 MSP shows 29 tests with a 65.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E39 MSP 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 E39 MSP. 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.