CarVerify

Free Car Check

N126 YSA

1996 BMW 518

Gold Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 May 2026
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

114,334 mi
Last recorded114,334 miles
Recorded on9 May 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW 518126,076 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

RegistrationN126 YSA
MakeBMW
Model518
Year1996
ColourGold
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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

18 pass 8 fail
Pass 9 May 2025 114,334 miles

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

Fail 21 Mar 2025 113,898 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Front Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 27 Nov 2023 105,326 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2022 101,517 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2021 96,708 miles

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

Fail 1 Sep 2021 96,705 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 23 Dec 2019 86,799 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2018 85,665 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rear (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 25 Oct 2017 84,643 miles
Fail 10 Oct 2017 84,638 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front Steering component deformed and unserviceable steering idler has excessive play (2.2.C.1d)

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

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Rear rear brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

n/s/r o/s/r and n/s/r tyres badly perished and cracking on outer walls

Pass 10 Oct 2016 83,000 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

Fail 10 Oct 2016 83,000 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

Pass 8 Oct 2015 81,070 miles
Fail 6 Oct 2015 81,070 miles

Fuel system component leaking pipes (7.2.3) DANGEROUS

Pass 9 Sep 2014 77,924 miles

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

Pass 19 Sep 2013 73,051 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Fail 18 Sep 2013 73,049 miles

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

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

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

Upper Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 27 Aug 2012 57,559 miles

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

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

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

Pass 12 Sep 2011 62,519 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Fail 12 Sep 2011 62,517 miles

Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 10 Sep 2010 57,449 miles

CENTER EXHAUST MOUNTING TORN

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

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

Pass 4 Jun 2009 51,113 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 22 May 2008 45,300 miles
Pass 23 May 2007 42,568 miles
Pass 11 May 2006 39,659 miles

fuel pipes corroded

Fail 11 May 2006 39,659 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

fuel pipes corroded

How Reliable is the BMW 518?

Based on 62,660 MOT tests across 8,904 vehicles.

74.0%
Pass Rate
6,367
Miles/Year
41
Year Lifespan
8,904
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 3,373
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2,837
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 1,465
position lamp(s) not working 1,178
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 1,104
Full BMW 518 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

N126 YSA is a 1996 BMW 518 in Gold with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

Across all 1996 BMW 518 models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.3% with a typical mileage of 126,076 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 518 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 3,373 recorded failures. If you're considering buying N126 YSA, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 518 typically stays on UK roads for around 41 years. At 30 years old, this BMW 518 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of N126 YSA?

You can check the full history of N126 YSA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N126 YSA registered?

N126 YSA is a 1996 BMW 518, first registered on 31 January 1996.

Is N126 YSA safe to buy?

The MOT history for N126 YSA shows 26 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 N126 YSA 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 N126 YSA. 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.