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P171 FRS

1997 BMW 520

Black Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Oct 2013
Tests14 (7 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

132,155 mi
Last recorded132,155 miles
Recorded on28 Oct 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP171 FRS
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

7 pass 7 fail
Fail 28 Oct 2013 132,155 miles

Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated (3.6.G.2)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

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

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

Pass 11 Oct 2012 127,605 miles

Air bag light on dash

Nail in nearside front tyre

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

Fail 10 Oct 2012 127,539 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Air bag light on dash

Nail in nearside front tyre

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

Pass 10 Oct 2011 123,155 miles

Air bag light on dash

N/S/F tyre has nail in it

Fail 30 Sep 2011 123,136 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Air bag light on dash

N/S/F tyre has nail in it

Pass 23 Sep 2010 118,333 miles
Fail 3 Sep 2010 118,332 miles

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear Statutory seat belt missing (5.1.1)

Pass 10 Aug 2009 113,451 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2009 113,431 miles

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

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

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

Pass 4 Aug 2008 106,529 miles

airbag light on

casing broken around bush at bottom of o/s/r shock absorber, not insecure at time of test

Fail 30 Jul 2008 106,527 miles

Nearside Inner Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Outer Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

air bag light on

o/s/f tyre worn bald on both edges

o/s/r shock absorber external casing is broken around bottom mount bush, - not insecure at time of test

Fail 30 Jul 2008 106,527 miles

Nearside Inner Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Outer Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

air bag light on

o/s/f tyre worn bald on both edges

o/s/r shock absorber external casing is broken around bottom mount bush, - not insecure at time of test

Pass 25 Jul 2007 97,186 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2006 87,023 miles

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

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

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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P171 FRS is a 1997 BMW 520 in Black with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 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 P171 FRS, 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 P171 FRS?

You can check the full history of P171 FRS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P171 FRS registered?

P171 FRS is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 18 June 1997.

Is P171 FRS safe to buy?

The MOT history for P171 FRS shows 14 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 P171 FRS 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 P171 FRS. 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.