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N156 GLW

1996 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1990cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires22 Aug 2013
Tests14 (7 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

158,855 mi
Last recorded158,855 miles
Recorded on16 Aug 2013
Typical for 1996 BMW 520126,144 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationN156 GLW
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1996
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

7 pass 7 fail
Fail 16 Aug 2013 158,855 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3) DANGEROUS

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

creaking from front suspension

exhaust system corroded

front tyres heavily worn on inner edges

nsr heavily worn on edges

osr tyre heavily worn on inner + heavily perished

play in steering box components

Pass 21 Aug 2012 158,855 miles

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

Pass 2 Aug 2011 157,220 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2010 153,911 miles

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

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

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

Fail 13 Aug 2010 153,899 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

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

Pass 19 Aug 2009 150,434 miles

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

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

fuel pipes corroded

Fail 18 Aug 2009 150,434 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

fuel pipes corroded

Fail 27 Jun 2009 150,214 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

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

Pass 12 Aug 2008 146,553 miles
Fail 28 Jul 2008 146,552 miles

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

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

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

Pass 28 Jul 2007 141,751 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2007 141,667 miles

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

rear fuel pipes rusty

Pass 28 Jul 2006 130,327 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2006 130,327 miles

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

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Nearside Parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.D.3a)

Rear Service brake application uneven across the axle (3.7.D.2b)

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear brake disc excessively scored (3.5.1h) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

both rear tyres getting low on tread

offside front tyre getting low on tread and worn badly on inner edge

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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N156 GLW is a 1996 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

Across all 1996 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.7% with a typical mileage of 126,144 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 N156 GLW, 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 30 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 N156 GLW?

You can check the full history of N156 GLW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N156 GLW registered?

N156 GLW is a 1996 BMW 520, first registered on 4 January 1996.

Is N156 GLW safe to buy?

The MOT history for N156 GLW shows 14 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N156 GLW 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 N156 GLW. 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.