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N285 OYU

1996 BMW 520

Black Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Sep 2026
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

123,909 mi
Last recorded123,909 miles
Recorded on17 Sep 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW 520126,144 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationN285 OYU
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1996
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,991cc

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

20 pass 7 fail
Pass 17 Sep 2025 123,909 miles

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

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all four perished 225/60/15 (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 8 Sep 2025 123,909 miles

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

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

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn rear bent arm. bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all four perished 225/60/15 (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 26 Jul 2022 121,205 miles

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

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

Rear EXHAUST HANGER BROKEN

Pass 6 Aug 2021 118,787 miles

EXHAUST BACK BOX OUTER SKIN LOOSE

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing ALL TYRES STARTING TO CRACK ON SIDEWALL (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 6 Aug 2021 118,786 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

EXHAUST BACK BOX OUTER SKIN LOOSE

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing ALL TYRES STARTING TO CRACK ON SIDEWALL (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 19 Aug 2020 114,486 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 16 Apr 2019 114,301 miles

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 3 May 2018 113,555 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint drop link (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 3 May 2018 113,555 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint drop link (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 21 Apr 2017 111,742 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2016 109,988 miles

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

Pass 5 May 2015 108,151 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)

Pass 23 Apr 2014 107,225 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)

Pass 18 Apr 2013 106,151 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)

Pass 5 May 2012 102,790 miles
Fail 28 Apr 2012 102,722 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)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 7 May 2011 99,193 miles
Fail 6 May 2011 99,193 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)

Pass 8 May 2010 95,180 miles

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Pass 4 Jun 2009 90,319 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

o/s track rod end boot split

Pass 3 Jun 2008 82,989 miles
Fail 3 Jun 2008 82,989 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 8 Jun 2007 77,716 miles
Pass 8 Jun 2006 72,679 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2005 66,212 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2005 66,212 miles
Fail 9 Jun 2005 66,212 miles

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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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N285 OYU is a 1996 BMW 520 in Black with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

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 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 N285 OYU, 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 N285 OYU?

You can check the full history of N285 OYU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N285 OYU registered?

N285 OYU is a 1996 BMW 520, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is N285 OYU safe to buy?

The MOT history for N285 OYU shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N285 OYU 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 N285 OYU. 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.