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P274 PLP

1997 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires1 Feb 2012
Tests10 (6 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

179,175 mi
Last recorded179,175 miles
Recorded on18 Jan 2011
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationP274 PLP
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

6 pass 4 fail
Pass 18 Jan 2011 179,175 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2011 178,931 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp sequence is incorrect (3.4.1d)

Centre Rear Statutory seat belt missing (5.1.1)

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

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

Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

brake warning lamp on

center brake lamp not working

front brake discs in poor condition

offside headlamp in poor condition

washers poor

Pass 2 Feb 2010 170,052 miles

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

Pass 16 Jan 2009 167,437 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2008 150,749 miles

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Fail 15 Jan 2008 150,749 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not in good working order (function impaired) (1.1.4a)

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) not in good working order (function impaired) (1.1.4a)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 3 Jan 2008 150,656 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) flickers when tapped lightly by hand (1.1.4c)

Nearside Inner Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

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

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

Offside Inner Front Steering column shaft has excessive end float (2.1.3)

Offside Rear Front position lamp(s) flickers when tapped lightly by hand (1.1.4c)

Offside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

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

Nearside Inner Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Inner Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 17 Oct 2006 138,776 miles

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

offside power steering rack slight play

Fail 11 Oct 2006 138,546 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) flickers when tapped lightly by hand (1.1.4c)

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front position lamp(s) flickers when tapped lightly by hand (1.1.4c)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is broken (3.1.5)

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

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

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

of side power steering rack slight play

Pass 2 Sep 2005 122,919 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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P274 PLP is a 1997 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 10 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

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 P274 PLP, 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 P274 PLP?

You can check the full history of P274 PLP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P274 PLP registered?

P274 PLP is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 6 January 1997.

Is P274 PLP safe to buy?

The MOT history for P274 PLP shows 10 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P274 PLP 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 P274 PLP. 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.