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P321 VDL

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires11 Dec 2020
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

120,874 mi
Last recorded120,874 miles
Recorded on11 Dec 2020
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 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

RegistrationP321 VDL
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

14 pass 8 fail
Fail 11 Dec 2020 120,874 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

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

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

offside dip beam pattern poor

Pass 5 Jul 2019 120,348 miles

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 4 Jul 2019 120,348 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid n/s jet not working (3.5 (a))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases joint behind catalytic converter (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 21 Jun 2018 119,753 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Headlamp lens slightly defective both sides deteriorated (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 20 Jun 2018 119,753 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Headlamp lens slightly defective both sides deteriorated (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) both sides ()

Pass 9 Jun 2017 117,679 miles

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

parking brake only just past efficiency

Fail 8 Jun 2017 117,677 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases cracked pipe (7.1.2)

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

parking brake only just past efficiency

Pass 20 May 2016 115,487 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin all front (3.5.1g)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases behind catalytic converter (7.1.2)

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

Fail 19 May 2016 115,487 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Brake pad(s) wearing thin all front (3.5.1g)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases behind catalytic converter (7.1.2)

Nearside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Pass 14 May 2015 113,035 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

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

n/s w/washer jet blocked

Pass 20 May 2014 110,663 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Fail 16 May 2014 110,663 miles

Brake fluid warning lamp illuminated (3.6.G.2)

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

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Nail in offside front tyre

Offside Front 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 11 May 2013 108,333 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

Pass 24 May 2012 108,162 miles

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

slight play in offside end of steering rack

Pass 10 Jan 2011 107,246 miles
Fail 7 Jan 2011 107,166 miles

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

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

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

Pass 2 Dec 2009 104,231 miles
Pass 21 Nov 2008 103,434 miles
Pass 29 Nov 2007 102,338 miles
Pass 9 Nov 2006 98,227 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2006 96,824 miles

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

Fail 21 Mar 2006 96,824 miles

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

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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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P321 VDL is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

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 P321 VDL, 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 P321 VDL?

You can check the full history of P321 VDL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P321 VDL registered?

P321 VDL is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P321 VDL safe to buy?

The MOT history for P321 VDL shows 22 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P321 VDL 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 P321 VDL. 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.