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N178 XGM

1996 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Feb 2018
Tests21 (13 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate61.9%

Mileage

229,487 mi
Last recorded229,487 miles
Recorded on31 Jan 2017
Typical for 1996 BMW 523123,198 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

RegistrationN178 XGM
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1996
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

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

13 pass 8 fail
Pass 31 Jan 2017 229,487 miles

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (3.6.B.4d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

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

Fail 30 Jan 2017 229,476 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

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

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (3.6.B.4d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

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

Pass 3 Feb 2016 220,993 miles

Bump stops broken both fronts

Components corroded - front brake discs (wearing thin),fuel pipes,front brake pipes.

Components corroded - near side front coil spring,off side rear stabiliser link bar.

Exhaust centre silencer noisy

Near side rear and off side rear link arms outer joint covers deteriorated

Off side beam affected by headlamp lens condition.

PAS Fluid leakage (rack area)

Fail 3 Feb 2016 220,993 miles

Bump stops broken both fronts

Components corroded - front brake discs (wearing thin),fuel pipes,front brake pipes.

Components corroded - near side front coil spring,off side rear stabiliser link bar.

Exhaust centre silencer noisy

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)

Near side rear and off side rear link arms outer joint covers deteriorated

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

Off side beam affected by headlamp lens condition.

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

PAS Fluid leakage (rack area)

Pass 7 Feb 2015 217,981 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2014 215,732 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2013 213,681 miles

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

advise - emissions quite irratic

advise - fuelpipes are cleaned/greased

Fail 7 Feb 2013 213,661 miles

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

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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

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

advise - emissions quite irratic

advise - fuelpipes are cleaned/greased

Pass 8 Mar 2012 205,186 miles

n/s front tyre worn on inner edge

o/s front tyre worn on outer edge

Fail 24 Feb 2012 204,925 miles

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

Offside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

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

n/s front tyre worn on inner edge

o/s front tyre worn on outer edge

Pass 15 Feb 2011 196,570 miles

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

n/s front tyre worn on inside edge

Fail 11 Feb 2011 196,476 miles

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

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

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

n/s front tyre worn on inside edge

Pass 12 Mar 2010 189,386 miles

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

n/s front tyre worn on inside edge

o/s rear tyre worn on inside and outside edges

slight leak from pas rack on n/s

Fail 5 Mar 2010 189,178 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

n/s front tyre worn on inside edge

o/s rear tyre worn on inside and outside edges

slight leak from pas rack on n/s

Pass 11 Mar 2009 179,075 miles

metal brake pipe over axle has surface corrosion

Fail 3 Mar 2009 178,853 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate (3.4.1b)

metal brake pipe over axle has surface corrosion

Pass 19 Feb 2008 169,092 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2007 159,920 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2007 159,768 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 Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Nearside Front Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

n/s front tyre on inside edge worn

Pass 13 Mar 2006 147,427 miles
Pass 10 Mar 2006 147,427 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 523?

Based on 254,660 MOT tests across 20,979 vehicles.

69.9%
Pass Rate
5,849
Miles/Year
30
Year Lifespan
20,979
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,201
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,085
parking brake recording little or no effort 9,427
Brake pipe excessively corroded 9,143
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,285
Full BMW 523 reliability report

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N178 XGM is a 1996 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.9%.

Across all 1996 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.0% with a typical mileage of 123,198 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 523 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 17,201 recorded failures. If you're considering buying N178 XGM, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 523 typically stays on UK roads for around 30 years. At 30 years old, this BMW 523 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of N178 XGM?

You can check the full history of N178 XGM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N178 XGM registered?

N178 XGM is a 1996 BMW 523, first registered on 27 February 1996.

Is N178 XGM safe to buy?

The MOT history for N178 XGM shows 21 tests with a 61.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N178 XGM 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 N178 XGM. 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.