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ET53 RNJ

2004 BMW 520

Grey Petrol 1997cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Feb 2026
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

178,057 mi
Last recorded178,057 miles
Recorded on5 Feb 2025
Typical for 2004 BMW 52084,715 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationET53 RNJ
MakeBMW
Model520
Year2004
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,997cc

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 4 fail
Pass 5 Feb 2025 178,057 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Front Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 7 Feb 2024 167,740 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Feb 2023 165,530 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2022 167,450 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Dec 2020 167,369 miles
Pass 13 Dec 2019 166,394 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2018 160,109 miles

Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge edges (5.2.3 (e))

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

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play outer (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Inner Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Dec 2018 160,109 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim so that beam "kick up" is not visible on the screen (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Inner Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Inner Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge edges (5.2.3 (e))

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

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play outer (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Inner Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Dec 2017 152,756 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2017 144,693 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

both front shocks are week

run flat indicator on

Fail 28 Jan 2017 144,693 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

both front shocks are week

run flat indicator on

Pass 31 Dec 2015 130,897 miles

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 31 Jan 2015 122,583 miles

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 4 Jan 2014 116,991 miles
Fail 4 Jan 2014 116,991 miles

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

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is excessively worn (3.1.5)

Pass 19 Jan 2013 35,585 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2012 106,322 miles

nearside handbrake performance low compared to offside

Fail 27 Jan 2012 106,117 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

nearside handbrake performance low compared to offside

Pass 26 Jan 2011 87,602 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2010 71,283 miles

nearside front tyre fitted incorrect direction of rotation

Pass 23 Jan 2009 55,074 miles

both rear tyres worn low on inner edges of tread

Pass 30 Jan 2008 41,666 miles

both front tyres starting to wear low on edges of tread

Pass 22 Jan 2007 29,239 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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ET53 RNJ is a 2004 BMW 520 in Grey with a 1,997cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

Across all 2004 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.8% with a typical mileage of 84,715 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 ET53 RNJ, 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 22 years old, this BMW 520 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of ET53 RNJ?

You can check the full history of ET53 RNJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ET53 RNJ registered?

ET53 RNJ is a 2004 BMW 520, first registered on 24 January 2004.

Is ET53 RNJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for ET53 RNJ shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does ET53 RNJ 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 ET53 RNJ. 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.