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N431 FLH

1996 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Apr 2027
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

83,717 mi
Last recorded83,717 miles
Recorded on21 Apr 2026
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

RegistrationN431 FLH
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1996
ColourBlue
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

17 pass 8 fail
Pass 21 Apr 2026 83,717 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2024 82,383 miles
Fail 22 Oct 2024 82,086 miles

Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Rear Emissions unable to be completed final box split (8.2.2.2 (e))

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases final box split (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 30 Oct 2023

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

Fail 26 Oct 2023

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 18 Oct 2022

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

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

Nearside Rear exhaust box corroded

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened

Pass 20 Oct 2021

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

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Electrical wiring insecure Rear Tailgate (4.11 (a) (i))

Exhaust corroded rear box

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

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Mileage Unreadable

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 9 Oct 2021

Front Inner Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick both (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Electrical wiring insecure Rear Tailgate (4.11 (a) (i))

Exhaust corroded rear box

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

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Mileage Unreadable

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 9 Oct 2020

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

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Electrical wiring insecure Rear Tailgate (4.11 (a) (i))

Exhaust corroded rear box

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 11 Oct 2019

Exhaust corroded rear box

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

Central Stop lamp been removed

Exhaust mounting defective Centre (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Rear Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 4 Oct 2018

Central stop lamp has been removed

Rear exhaust deteriorated

Fail 20 Aug 2018

Fluid leak harmful to the environment or a risk to other road users [coolant] (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Central stop lamp has been removed

Rear silencer deteriorated

Pass 18 Aug 2017

Central stop lamp has been removed

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement axle beam (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement axle beam (2.4.G.2)

Pass 19 Aug 2016

Centre stop lamp has been removed

mileage not displayed

Pass 6 Aug 2015
Pass 20 Aug 2014

centre stop lamp has been removed

milage not displayed

Fail 31 Jul 2014

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

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

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

centre stop lamp has been removed

mileage not displayed

Pass 9 Aug 2013

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

centre exhaust hanger missing

centre stop lamp has been removed

Fail 8 Aug 2013

Centre Stop lamp has less than 50% of the light sources illuminating (1.2.1b)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

centre exhaust hanger missing

Pass 23 Nov 2009 61,445 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2008 61,012 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2007 60,497 miles
Fail 2 Nov 2007 60,477 miles

Offside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Pass 13 Nov 2006 59,793 miles

near side front tyre wearing out on the outer edges.

Fail 8 Nov 2006 59,793 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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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N431 FLH is a 1996 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

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 N431 FLH, 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 N431 FLH?

You can check the full history of N431 FLH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N431 FLH registered?

N431 FLH is a 1996 BMW 520, first registered on 29 January 1996.

Is N431 FLH safe to buy?

The MOT history for N431 FLH shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N431 FLH 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 N431 FLH. 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.