CarVerify

Free Car Check

N521 ATF

1996 BMW 525

Grey Diesel 2498cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Nov 2026
Tests22 (20 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate90.9%

Mileage

304,664 mi
Last recorded304,664 miles
Recorded on24 Oct 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW 525137,025 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationN521 ATF
MakeBMW
Model525
Year1996
ColourGrey
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,498cc

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 2 fail
Pass 24 Oct 2025 304,664 miles

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

Pass 18 Oct 2024 301,737 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material and offside rear covered in grease (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view chip (3.2 (a) (i))

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

Rear Fluid leak, but not excessive diff damp (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Oct 2023 301,218 miles
Pass 11 Oct 2022 298,567 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2021 294,922 miles

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

Pass 7 Oct 2020 294,176 miles

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

Pass 7 May 2019 290,049 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Pass 20 Dec 2017 284,676 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2016 278,415 miles
Fail 14 Dec 2016 278,222 miles

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

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

Tie bar/rod ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt both sides rear pitman arms (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 4 Jan 2016 270,682 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2014 263,407 miles

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

Offside Front Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

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

Offside Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 8 Jan 2014 249,867 miles

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

Pass 14 Dec 2012 246,415 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 14 Dec 2011 233,752 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2010 220,472 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2009 208,127 miles
Pass 13 Jan 2009 190,740 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2008 184,115 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Oil leak

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

Fail 3 Jan 2008 184,111 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)

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Oil leak

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

Pass 9 Dec 2006 168,750 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

Oil leak

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

Pass 10 Dec 2005 155,076 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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)

oil leak

slight play in steering joints

How Reliable is the BMW 525?

Based on 724,963 MOT tests across 56,965 vehicles.

74.4%
Pass Rate
7,259
Miles/Year
37
Year Lifespan
56,965
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 33,171
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,448
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,227
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 10,065
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 9,710
Full BMW 525 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

N521 ATF is a 1996 BMW 525 in Grey with a 2,498cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 90.9%.

Across all 1996 BMW 525 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.4% with a typical mileage of 137,025 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 525 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 33,171 recorded failures. If you're considering buying N521 ATF, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 525 typically stays on UK roads for around 37 years. At 30 years old, this BMW 525 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of N521 ATF?

You can check the full history of N521 ATF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N521 ATF registered?

N521 ATF is a 1996 BMW 525, first registered on 22 July 1996.

Is N521 ATF safe to buy?

The MOT history for N521 ATF shows 22 tests with a 90.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N521 ATF 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 N521 ATF. 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.