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P230 VGB

1997 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires12 Mar 2014
Tests13 (7 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate53.8%

Mileage

189,008 mi
Last recorded189,008 miles
Recorded on26 Aug 2014
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationP230 VGB
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourBlue
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 6 fail
Fail 26 Aug 2014 189,008 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 Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Coolant leak

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 13 Mar 2013 184,265 miles

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

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

Pass 9 Feb 2012 182,563 miles
Fail 2 Feb 2012 182,568 miles

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

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

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

Fail 20 Oct 2010 179,961 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Oct 2010 179,961 miles

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

Fail 2 Jul 2010 178,814 miles

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 13 May 2009 172,344 miles
Fail 13 May 2009 172,344 miles

Offside Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2) DANGEROUS

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 28 May 2008 168,377 miles

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

Pass 27 Apr 2007 164,476 miles
Fail 13 Apr 2007 164,463 miles

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

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

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

Pass 28 Feb 2006 161,787 miles

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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P230 VGB is a 1997 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.8%.

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 P230 VGB, 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 P230 VGB?

You can check the full history of P230 VGB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P230 VGB registered?

P230 VGB is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P230 VGB safe to buy?

The MOT history for P230 VGB 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 P230 VGB 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 P230 VGB. 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.