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E83 TOV

1988 BMW 520

Bronze Petrol 1990cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Apr 2027
Tests14 (9 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

47,444 mi
Last recorded47,444 miles
Recorded on10 Apr 2026
Typical for 1988 BMW 520127,324 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

RegistrationE83 TOV
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1988
ColourBronze
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,990cc

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 10 Apr 2026 47,444 miles
Fail 2 Apr 2026 47,426 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Fail 23 Feb 2026 47,414 miles

Front Service brake excessively binding both sides binding to excess (1.2.1 (f))

Rear Stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released both sides (4.3.2 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both sides worn inner edges and stepping to excess across tread both sides (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn edges and on 3mm (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 21 Feb 2025 46,811 miles

Front Nearside and Offside, slight play in steering idler arm

Pass 10 Mar 2023 46,665 miles

Nearside Front slight play in steering idler arm

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement d bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner and outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front slight play in steering idler arm

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement d bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area damaged but not considered excessive inner and outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect all four shocks (5.3.2 (d))

Pass 28 Jan 2022 44,686 miles
Fail 26 Jan 2022 44,672 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the left (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (4.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 17 Feb 2021 44,638 miles
Pass 29 Jan 2020 44,585 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2018 44,564 miles
Fail 16 Mar 2018 44,561 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (3.7.B.5b)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded on arm (3.6.B.2c)

Offside front brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded both (3.6.B.4e)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Pass 25 Oct 2006 41,180 miles
Fail 24 Oct 2006 44,175 miles

Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 1 Nov 2005 42,148 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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E83 TOV is a 1988 BMW 520 in Bronze with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

Across all 1988 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.4% with a typical mileage of 127,324 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 E83 TOV, 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 38 years old, this BMW 520 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of E83 TOV?

You can check the full history of E83 TOV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E83 TOV registered?

E83 TOV is a 1988 BMW 520, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is E83 TOV safe to buy?

The MOT history for E83 TOV 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 E83 TOV 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 E83 TOV. 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.