CarVerify

Free Car Check

P132 SUL

1997 BMW 520

Red Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Apr 2014
Tests13 (8 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate61.5%

Mileage

115,863 mi
Last recorded115,863 miles
Recorded on9 Apr 2013
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 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

RegistrationP132 SUL
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

8 pass 5 fail
Pass 9 Apr 2013 115,863 miles

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

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

Fail 26 Mar 2013 115,858 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Pass 15 Mar 2012 111,280 miles
Fail 14 Mar 2012 111,280 miles

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

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

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

Pass 16 Mar 2011 110,269 miles

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

minor stone chips to windscreen

Fail 16 Mar 2011 110,269 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

minor stone chips to windscreen

Pass 17 Mar 2010 108,881 miles

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

engine undertray fitted not allowing a full inspection of engine bay

slight movement nearside steering arm on rack

Fail 15 Mar 2010 108,881 miles

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

engine undertray fitted not allowing a full inspection of engine bay

slight movement nearside steering arm on rack

Pass 18 Mar 2009 107,326 miles

Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 22 Jan 2008 104,044 miles
Fail 18 Jan 2008 104,044 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Pass 30 Jan 2007 98,934 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

front number plate slight damage.

parking brake efficiency on limit 16%

Pass 24 Feb 2006 92,502 miles

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

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

P132 SUL is a 1997 BMW 520 in Red with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.5%.

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 P132 SUL, 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 P132 SUL?

You can check the full history of P132 SUL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P132 SUL registered?

P132 SUL is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 7 May 1997.

Is P132 SUL safe to buy?

The MOT history for P132 SUL shows 13 tests with a 61.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P132 SUL 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 P132 SUL. 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.