CarVerify

Free Car Check

P188 PRW

1997 BMW 523

Black Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires12 May 2012
Tests8 (5 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

148,005 mi
Last recorded148,005 miles
Recorded on23 Aug 2012
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Above 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 £14.99

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

RegistrationP188 PRW
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

5 pass 3 fail
Fail 23 Aug 2012 148,005 miles

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

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

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

Pass 13 May 2011 140,938 miles
Fail 11 May 2011 140,938 miles

Nearside front brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Offside front brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

Pass 12 Feb 2010 133,975 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Suspension joint nearside upper dust cover split/missing

nearside front tyre has slight damage to inside edge

slight play in rack

Fail 1 Feb 2010 133,653 miles

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

Bootlid cannot be secured in the closed position (6.4.1)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Fuel pipe leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

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

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Suspension joint nearside upper dust cover split/missing

nearside front tyre has slight damage to inside edge

slight play in rack

Pass 1 Oct 2008 129,820 miles

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

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

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

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

Pass 26 Sep 2007 119,229 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

passenger rear wheel bearing has slight noise

slight play in steering rack

Pass 22 Sep 2006 105,625 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

P188 PRW is a 1997 BMW 523 in Black with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 8 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

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 P188 PRW, 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 P188 PRW?

You can check the full history of P188 PRW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P188 PRW registered?

P188 PRW is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 1 May 1997.

Is P188 PRW safe to buy?

The MOT history for P188 PRW shows 8 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P188 PRW 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 P188 PRW. 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.