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FMW 179J

2003 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 2171cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Oct 2026
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

147,461 mi
Last recorded147,461 miles
Recorded on15 Oct 2025
Typical for 2003 BMW 52084,985 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationFMW 179J
MakeBMW
Model520
Year2003
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,171cc

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 6 fail
Pass 15 Oct 2025 147,461 miles

Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration (8.2.1.2 (g))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement front arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (rear arm) (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement front arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (front arm) (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (rear arm) (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 16 Oct 2024 137,679 miles

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

Fail 9 Oct 2024 137,562 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 11 Oct 2023 130,013 miles
Fail 11 Oct 2023 130,013 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 21 Oct 2022 124,698 miles

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

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

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

Fail 20 Sep 2022 124,692 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively split (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Rear Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt outer cv boot (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively split (3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive under tray covers (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 21 Sep 2021 119,883 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords on inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords on inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

Pass 14 Sep 2020 116,924 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 7 Aug 2019 112,324 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2018 107,613 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2017 101,649 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated & offside rear (3.6.B.4d)

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

Fail 7 Aug 2017 101,649 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated & offside rear (3.6.B.4d)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 1 Apr 2016 93,106 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Apr 2015 88,048 miles

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

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

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

Fail 28 Mar 2015 87,863 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

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

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

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

Pass 3 Apr 2014 81,452 miles

Nail in nearside front tyre

Fail 3 Apr 2014 81,452 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nail in nearside front tyre

Pass 8 Apr 2013 79,580 miles
Pass 20 May 2011 74,494 miles
Pass 5 May 2010 73,379 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2009 62,524 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2008 52,426 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2007 30,550 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2006 27,835 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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FMW 179J is a 2003 BMW 520 in Blue with a 2,171cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

Across all 2003 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 74.5% with a typical mileage of 84,985 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 FMW 179J, 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 23 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 FMW 179J?

You can check the full history of FMW 179J by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FMW 179J registered?

FMW 179J is a 2003 BMW 520, first registered on 5 November 2003.

Is FMW 179J safe to buy?

The MOT history for FMW 179J shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FMW 179J 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 FMW 179J. 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.