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P102 RFA

1997 BMW 520

Red Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires21 Sep 2011
Tests10 (5 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

183,177 mi
Last recorded183,177 miles
Recorded on22 Sep 2010
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP102 RFA
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourRed
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

5 pass 5 fail
Pass 22 Sep 2010 183,177 miles

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

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

Fail 20 Sep 2010 183,168 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Outer Rear Statutory seat belt missing (5.1.1)

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

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

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

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

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

Fail 23 Jul 2010 182,216 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Front Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

nearside front tyre low on edge.

offside front tyre on limit/bold on edge.

rear brake flexi hoses perishing.

Pass 3 Sep 2009 178,920 miles

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

Fail 19 Aug 2009 178,781 miles

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

Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

registration plate character(s) sloping (6.3.4b)

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

Pass 1 Sep 2008 170,620 miles

o/s/r tyre worn very close to legal limit 2mm advise replace asap

Fail 29 Aug 2008 170,614 miles

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

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

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

o/s/r tyre worn very close to legal limit 2mm advise replace asap

Pass 15 Aug 2007 162,981 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 10 Aug 2006 154,559 miles

both front anti roll bar link joint boots split

Fail 10 Aug 2006 154,559 miles

Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

both front anti roll bar link joint boots split

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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P102 RFA is a 1997 BMW 520 in Red with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 10 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

Across all 1997 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.6% with a typical mileage of 121,946 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 P102 RFA, 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 29 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 P102 RFA?

You can check the full history of P102 RFA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P102 RFA registered?

P102 RFA is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 27 February 1997.

Is P102 RFA safe to buy?

The MOT history for P102 RFA shows 10 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 P102 RFA 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 P102 RFA. 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.