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P246 TWT

1997 BMW 523

Brown Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Aug 2026
Tests14 (9 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate64.3%

Mileage

134,777 mi
Last recorded134,777 miles
Recorded on20 Aug 2025
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

RegistrationP246 TWT
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourBrown
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

9 pass 5 fail
Pass 20 Aug 2025 134,777 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded front to rear ()

Nearside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed drivers (7.1.2 (b))

Fail 20 Aug 2025 134,777 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded front to rear ()

Nearside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed drivers (7.1.2 (b))

Pass 26 Apr 2021 127,648 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated OUTER REAR (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 29 Apr 2020 122,419 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2019 122,266 miles

Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated (1.1.10 (f))

Fail 11 Jan 2019 122,265 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated (1.1.10 (f))

Pass 16 Dec 2011 121,893 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2010 120,582 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 14 Jun 2010 120,579 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring cracked (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) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

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

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

Pass 30 May 2009 107,748 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2007 103,267 miles
Fail 5 Sep 2007 103,267 miles

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

slight judder at front brakes

Pass 6 Sep 2006 98,089 miles
Fail 5 Sep 2006 98,089 miles

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

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

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

both front tyres on legal limit

both rear tyres on legal limit

o/s/f anti roll bar link rubber split

slight judder at front brakes

unable to check under engine propely due to plastic coverings

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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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.

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P246 TWT is a 1997 BMW 523 in Brown with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.3%.

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 P246 TWT, 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 P246 TWT?

You can check the full history of P246 TWT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P246 TWT registered?

P246 TWT is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 3 January 1997.

Is P246 TWT safe to buy?

The MOT history for P246 TWT shows 14 tests with a 64.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P246 TWT 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 P246 TWT. 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.