CarVerify

Free Car Check

J238 PPE

1991 BMW 520

Red Petrol 1990cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Sep 2026
Tests20 (12 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

164,098 mi
Last recorded164,098 miles
Recorded on11 Sep 2025
Typical for 1991 BMW 520136,954 mi

Above 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

RegistrationJ238 PPE
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1991
ColourRed
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

12 pass 8 fail
Pass 11 Sep 2025 164,098 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 10 Sep 2025 164,097 miles

Nearside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible kick to right (4.1.4 (c))

Offside Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible kick to right (4.1.4 (c))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 23 Sep 2024 164,051 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

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

Offside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Offside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

both rear tyres appear to have been run flat advised presenter to replace as could cause a problem with failure on the road

Pass 19 Sep 2023 158,544 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 19 Jun 2017 157,158 miles

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

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

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

Oil leak ()

Pass 16 Jun 2016 153,228 miles

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

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

oil leak

Fail 28 Jan 2016 153,167 miles

Nearside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings jacking point (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings jacking point (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings jacking point (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement stabiliser link bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement stabiliser link bush (2.4.G.2)

slight engine oil leaks

Pass 20 Nov 2014 149,392 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Nov 2013 145,668 miles

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

Pass 21 Nov 2012 142,470 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2011 138,446 miles
Fail 21 Nov 2011 138,446 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) insecure (3.5.1g)

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 13 Sep 2010 132,231 miles
Fail 13 Sep 2010 132,231 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 23 Jan 2009 126,606 miles
Fail 9 Jan 2009 126,536 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Pass 6 Dec 2007 122,900 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Fail 6 Dec 2007 122,900 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Fail 24 Nov 2006 118,063 miles

Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Pass 24 Nov 2006 118,063 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

J238 PPE is a 1991 BMW 520 in Red with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1991 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.6% with a typical mileage of 136,954 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 J238 PPE, 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 35 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 J238 PPE?

You can check the full history of J238 PPE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J238 PPE registered?

J238 PPE is a 1991 BMW 520, first registered on 19 September 1991.

Is J238 PPE safe to buy?

The MOT history for J238 PPE shows 20 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J238 PPE 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 J238 PPE. 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.