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P185 PLR

1997 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires26 Sep 2014
Tests13 (7 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate53.8%

Mileage

112,493 mi
Last recorded112,493 miles
Recorded on27 Sep 2013
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP185 PLR
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

7 pass 6 fail
Pass 27 Sep 2013 112,493 miles

Oil leak

both rear air springs perished

both rear brake pipes corroded

fuel lines corroded

o/s/r tyre perished

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 28 Aug 2013 112,479 miles

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

o/s/r tyre heavily corroded

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear Air suspension unit slightly deteriorated (2.4.D.1b)

Offside Rear Air suspension unit slightly deteriorated (2.4.D.1b)

Oil leak

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 21 Aug 2012 111,443 miles

Interior mirror not fitted at time of test.

Intermittent washer fault.

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside rear tyre perishing.

Pass 12 Sep 2011 111,424 miles

Fuel pipes corroded

OSR tyre side wall perished

Rear view mirror missing

Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 12 Sep 2011 111,420 miles

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

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

Fuel pipes corroded

OSR tyre side wall perished

Rear view mirror missing

Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 25 Aug 2011 111,396 miles

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)

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

interior mirror missing

Fail 27 Mar 2009 110,393 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 27 Mar 2009 110,393 miles

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

Fail 3 Mar 2009 109,997 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

o/s/r tyre wearing on inside

Pass 6 Feb 2008 105,287 miles
Fail 6 Feb 2008 105,287 miles

Centre Exhaust mounting missing (7.1.1b)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

slight play rack

Pass 30 Jan 2007 99,072 miles
Pass 23 May 2006 94,909 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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P185 PLR is a 1997 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.8%.

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 P185 PLR, 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 P185 PLR?

You can check the full history of P185 PLR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P185 PLR registered?

P185 PLR is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P185 PLR safe to buy?

The MOT history for P185 PLR shows 13 tests with a 53.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P185 PLR 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 P185 PLR. 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.