CarVerify

Free Car Check

F42 TLW

1988 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1990cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires21 Nov 2015
Tests13 (9 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

116,133 mi
Last recorded116,133 miles
Recorded on9 Feb 2016
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

RegistrationF42 TLW
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

9 pass 4 fail
Fail 9 Feb 2016 116,133 miles

Offside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Rear Fuel pipe excessively chafed (7.2.2)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

gearbox leak

Pass 22 Nov 2014 115,892 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2014 115,892 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Fuel pipe slightly damaged (7.2.2)

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

Nearside Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 22 Nov 2013 115,259 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 8 Feb 2013 114,219 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

both rear & n/s/f seatbelts slow to fully retract

brake warning light on

center exhaust mount deteriorated

n/s/r tyre inner sidewall damaged

o/s/f tyre tread perished

slight surface rust front & rear discs

Fail 24 Jan 2013 114,218 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tie bar/rod ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

auto gearbox pipes badly corroded

brake warning light on

cut in nearside front tyre sidewall

nearside front and rear seat belts slow to fully retract

offside rear seat belt slow to fully retract

rear fuel lines badly corroded

Pass 6 Aug 2011 111,672 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Oil leak

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

front of offside outer sill is heavily corroded outside of prescribed area.

power steering pipes are heavily corroded.

Fail 20 Jul 2011 111,672 miles

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

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a) DANGEROUS

Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c) DANGEROUS

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Oil leak

Suspension joint nearside lower dust cover split/missing

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

front of nearside outer sill is heavily corroded outside of prescribed areas.

power steering pipes are heavily corroded.

Pass 13 Jul 2010 110,371 miles

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

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

rubbers covering front lower ball joints are split

Pass 28 Jul 2009 107,915 miles

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

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 22 Jul 2008 105,467 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2007 102,478 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2006 102,125 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

F42 TLW is a 1988 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

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 F42 TLW, 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 F42 TLW?

You can check the full history of F42 TLW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F42 TLW registered?

F42 TLW is a 1988 BMW 520, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is F42 TLW safe to buy?

The MOT history for F42 TLW shows 13 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F42 TLW 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 F42 TLW. 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.