CarVerify

Free Car Check

E989 KFH

1988 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1990cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 May 2026
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

121,510 mi
Last recorded121,510 miles
Recorded on12 May 2025
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
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

RegistrationE989 KFH
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1988
ColourBlue
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

15 pass 6 fail
Pass 12 May 2025 121,510 miles

Rear Passenger seat(s) missing at time of test all ()

Pass 25 Nov 2020 131,157 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

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

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

Fail 21 Nov 2020 131,153 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Vehicle Identification Number has more than one different number displayed (0.2 (c))

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

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

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

Fail 31 Aug 2019 188,314 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength jacking point (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis leg (anti roll bar mount) (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength jacking point (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

exhaust has slight blow from mid box joint

n/s/f and o/s/f wings corroded

slight play in n/s/f track rod end

Pass 29 Aug 2018 185,378 miles

Nearside Outer Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 5 Sep 2017 182,041 miles
Fail 25 Aug 2017 181,994 miles

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded inner/outer sill (2.4.A.3)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 7 Sep 2016 178,088 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear x2 (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Pass 27 Mar 2015 175,416 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 11 Apr 2014 170,211 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 14 Mar 2013 162,830 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 29 Mar 2012 157,349 miles

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

Pass 14 Apr 2011 149,531 miles

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

Fail 12 Apr 2011 149,528 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not illuminating the registration plate (1.1.C.1e)

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp not illuminating the registration plate (1.1.C.1e)

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

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

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

Pass 16 Feb 2010 141,038 miles
Fail 9 Feb 2010 140,874 miles

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a track control arm inner bush (2.5.B.2b)

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

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

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

Pass 6 Feb 2009 130,523 miles

Offside Outer Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Pass 21 Feb 2008 122,676 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2008 122,647 miles

Indicator tell tale inoperative (1.4.A.2a)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Pass 16 Feb 2007 118,251 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2006 110,448 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

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

E989 KFH is a 1988 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 E989 KFH, 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 E989 KFH?

You can check the full history of E989 KFH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E989 KFH registered?

E989 KFH is a 1988 BMW 520, first registered on 6 January 1988.

Is E989 KFH safe to buy?

The MOT history for E989 KFH shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E989 KFH 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 E989 KFH. 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.