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ERV 686W

1981 BMW 5 Series

Black Petrol 3453cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires9 Jun 2026
Tests6 (4 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

115,199 mi
Last recorded115,199 miles
Recorded on6 Jun 2025
Typical for 1981 BMW 5 Series110,269 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

RegistrationERV 686W
MakeBMW
Model5 Series
Year1981
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,453cc

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

4 pass 2 fail
Pass 6 Jun 2025 115,199 miles

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

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Floor has corrosion - no holes and covered with under seal.

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 10 Jun 2024 114,913 miles

Advise gearbox noisy

Nearside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Front sub frame bush sub frame against floor (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Sill to floor corroded

Offside Rear Advise repair to rear of sill

Offside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Front sub frame bush sub frame against floor (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 13 May 2024 114,913 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Seat belt buckle not functioning as intended (7.1.2 (d))

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

Rear fog lamp switch not operating in accordance with the requirements (4.5.3 (a))

Advise offside front sill to floor corroded

Nearside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Front bush sub frame against floor (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Advice repair to outer sill

Offside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Front bush sub frame against floor (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Oct 2020 114,379 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2020 114,379 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 14 Aug 2019 114,377 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 5 Series?

Based on 944,163 MOT tests across 122,930 vehicles.

80.5%
Pass Rate
8,163
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
122,930
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 25,557
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 14,960
Brake pipe excessively corroded 12,202
parking brake recording little or no effort 7,953
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,589
Full BMW 5 Series reliability report

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ERV 686W is a 1981 BMW 5 Series in Black with a 3,453cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 6 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1981 BMW 5 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.2% with a typical mileage of 110,269 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 5 Series fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 25,557 recorded failures. If you're considering buying ERV 686W, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 5 Series typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 45 years old, this BMW 5 Series is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of ERV 686W?

You can check the full history of ERV 686W by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ERV 686W registered?

ERV 686W is a 1981 BMW 5 Series, first registered on 18 June 1981.

Is ERV 686W safe to buy?

The MOT history for ERV 686W shows 6 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does ERV 686W 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 ERV 686W. 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.