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P158 CFP

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires30 Jun 2024
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

181,073 mi
Last recorded181,073 miles
Recorded on20 Mar 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP158 CFP
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

18 pass 5 fail
Fail 20 Mar 2025 181,073 miles

Nearside Front Inner Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Inner Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

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

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

vehicle has been stood

Pass 21 Jun 2023 180,050 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2022 178,059 miles
Fail 16 Jun 2022 178,059 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken broken spring (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 1 Jul 2021 176,962 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

covers fitted.

vehicle has been stood.

Pass 11 Mar 2020 174,886 miles

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 2 Mar 2019 173,348 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Fail 1 Mar 2019 173,348 miles

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 13 Feb 2018 170,874 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2017 167,867 miles
Pass 23 Feb 2016 164,550 miles
Fail 18 Feb 2016 165,450 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 Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front Ball joint has slight play Tie - Rod (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear Radius arm has slight play in a ball joint back (2.4.G.2)

Pass 12 Mar 2015 159,300 miles

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

Pass 5 Mar 2014 150,943 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Mar 2013 147,965 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2012 146,509 miles
Pass 24 Feb 2011 145,701 miles
Pass 4 Mar 2010 144,820 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2009 143,616 miles
Pass 28 Feb 2008 142,504 miles
Pass 28 Feb 2007 139,877 miles
Fail 26 Feb 2007 139,877 miles

Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 23 Feb 2006 135,143 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

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P158 CFP is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 P158 CFP, 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 P158 CFP?

You can check the full history of P158 CFP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P158 CFP registered?

P158 CFP is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 17 March 1997.

Is P158 CFP safe to buy?

The MOT history for P158 CFP shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P158 CFP 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 P158 CFP. 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.