CarVerify

Free Car Check

EX12 VAE

2012 BMW 520

Silver Diesel 1995cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Oct 2026
Tests16 (12 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

173,402 mi
Last recorded173,402 miles
Recorded on24 Oct 2025
Typical for 2012 BMW 52088,697 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationEX12 VAE
MakeBMW
Model520
Year2012
ColourSilver
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine1,995cc

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

12 pass 4 fail
Pass 24 Oct 2025 173,402 miles

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

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

Fail 24 Oct 2025 173,402 miles

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

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

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

Pass 24 Oct 2024 164,223 miles

Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 9 Oct 2023 153,153 miles
Fail 9 Oct 2023 153,153 miles

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

Pass 28 Sep 2022 144,844 miles

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

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 13 Nov 2021 140,140 miles
Fail 13 Nov 2021 140,140 miles

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

Pass 23 Sep 2020 133,734 miles

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

Pass 30 Aug 2019 128,761 miles

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

Under Tray Fitted

Pass 18 Sep 2018 124,569 miles

under try fitted

Pass 30 Aug 2017 121,176 miles

engine undercover / undertray fitted

Pass 28 Jan 2017 117,726 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2016 102,978 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2015 81,798 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 2 Mar 2015 81,798 miles

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

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

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Rear axle support bush split.

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

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

EX12 VAE is a 2012 BMW 520 in Silver with a 1,995cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 2012 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 80.5% with a typical mileage of 88,697 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 EX12 VAE, 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 14 years old, this BMW 520 is still in the earlier part of its expected life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of EX12 VAE?

You can check the full history of EX12 VAE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was EX12 VAE registered?

EX12 VAE is a 2012 BMW 520, first registered on 14 March 2012.

Is EX12 VAE safe to buy?

The MOT history for EX12 VAE shows 16 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does EX12 VAE 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 EX12 VAE. 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.