CarVerify

Free Car Check

P126 ABB

1997 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires22 May 2016
Tests15 (8 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate53.3%

Mileage

106,487 mi
Last recorded106,487 miles
Recorded on22 May 2015
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP126 ABB
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

8 pass 7 fail
Pass 22 May 2015 106,487 miles

damage to o/s outer sill

o/s mirror glass cracked

o/s/f tyre on limit outer egde and perished heavy

Fail 22 May 2015 106,487 miles

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

damage to o/s outer sill

o/s mirror glass cracked

o/s/f tyre on limit outer egde and perished heavy

Pass 23 May 2014 102,615 miles

Advise all brake discs are in a very poor condition

Advise all brake pads are wearing thin

Fail 20 Feb 2014 102,615 miles

Driver's airbag obviously defective (5.4.1)

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)

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Power steering component(s) leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Front Power steering component(s) leaking from a failed seal (2.3.3b)

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

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

Steering system has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) (2.2.A.1b)

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Fail 19 Nov 2010 102,451 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)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

near side inner steeing rack joint worn

Pass 17 Nov 2009 98,930 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Fail 11 Nov 2009 98,889 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)

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

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Pass 7 Nov 2008 94,155 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Fail 31 Oct 2008 94,098 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Pass 1 Nov 2007 90,060 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2007 89,625 miles

as before

Fail 30 May 2007 89,625 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Nearside Rear Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

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

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

Pass 30 Jun 2006 87,263 miles
Fail 16 Jun 2006 87,164 miles

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

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

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

Pass 22 Jun 2005 80,513 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

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

P126 ABB is a 1997 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.3%.

Across all 1997 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 121,619 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 P126 ABB, 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 29 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 P126 ABB?

You can check the full history of P126 ABB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P126 ABB registered?

P126 ABB is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P126 ABB safe to buy?

The MOT history for P126 ABB shows 15 tests with a 53.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P126 ABB 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 P126 ABB. 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.