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P272 GPF

1997 BMW 520

Green Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Oct 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

73,875 mi
Last recorded73,875 miles
Recorded on1 Oct 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 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

RegistrationP272 GPF
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 1 Oct 2025 73,875 miles
Pass 30 Oct 2024 70,963 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 24 Oct 2023 68,473 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2022 66,997 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2021 65,064 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2020 63,962 miles

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 28 Oct 2020 63,959 miles

Boot lid cannot be secured in the closed position (6.2.1 (e))

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 18 Oct 2019 63,746 miles

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Fail 17 Oct 2019 63,746 miles

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt and has play in joint (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Pass 23 Oct 2018 62,982 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2018 62,919 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low cant adjust (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low cant adjust (4.1.2 (a))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 18 Oct 2017 62,093 miles

advise hand brake just figures just met

Pass 12 Oct 2016 60,676 miles
Pass 14 Oct 2015 60,039 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2014 58,723 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Pass 14 Oct 2013 57,299 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Pass 17 Oct 2012 55,987 miles
Fail 17 Oct 2012 55,987 miles

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

Pass 13 Oct 2011 54,340 miles
Fail 13 Oct 2011 54,340 miles

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

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

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

Pass 4 Oct 2010 52,746 miles

Offside Rear rear brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.5b)

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

rear reg.plate digits distorted

Pass 29 Jun 2009 50,128 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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 27 Jun 2009 50,128 miles

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

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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 24 Jun 2008 48,418 miles

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

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

rear reg. plate digits deforming

Pass 25 Jun 2007 46,300 miles

n/s/f tyre wearing outside edge

Pass 22 Jun 2006 43,454 miles

n/s/f tyre wearing outside edge

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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P272 GPF is a 1997 BMW 520 in Green with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 P272 GPF, 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 P272 GPF?

You can check the full history of P272 GPF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P272 GPF registered?

P272 GPF is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P272 GPF safe to buy?

The MOT history for P272 GPF shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P272 GPF 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 P272 GPF. 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.