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P21 RCV

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires2 Oct 2016
Tests16 (10 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

143,636 mi
Last recorded143,636 miles
Recorded on3 Oct 2015
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP21 RCV
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

10 pass 6 fail
Pass 3 Oct 2015 143,636 miles
Fail 12 Aug 2015 143,630 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)

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

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

Pass 20 Jun 2014 142,319 miles

Nearside Rear Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Trailing arm has slight play in a pin bearing (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Fail 17 Jun 2014 142,301 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 Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Pass 17 Jun 2013 139,471 miles
Fail 23 May 2013 139,470 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

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

Offside Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

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

Pass 12 Jun 2012 136,210 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

exhuast slightly deteiorated but not leaking

Pass 4 May 2011 130,579 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Pass 14 Apr 2010 123,318 miles
Fail 9 Apr 2010 123,253 miles

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

Pass 5 May 2009 115,945 miles

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

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

Fail 30 Apr 2009 115,861 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 2 May 2008 106,546 miles
Fail 21 Apr 2008 106,195 miles

Nearside Rear brake caliper securing device missing (3.5.1j)

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

Pass 11 Apr 2007 95,459 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 26 Apr 2006 83,355 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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P21 RCV is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 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 P21 RCV, 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 P21 RCV?

You can check the full history of P21 RCV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P21 RCV registered?

P21 RCV is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 12 April 1997.

Is P21 RCV safe to buy?

The MOT history for P21 RCV shows 16 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 P21 RCV 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 P21 RCV. 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.