CarVerify

Free Car Check

P3 PFC

1997 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires2 Feb 2019
Tests18 (13 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate72.2%

Mileage

123,951 mi
Last recorded123,951 miles
Recorded on25 Jan 2019
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationP3 PFC
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

13 pass 5 fail
Fail 25 Jan 2019 123,951 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded over axle (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded over axle (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill / jacking point (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 24 Jan 2018 122,049 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit approxx 2mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

parking brake requirements only just met

Fail 23 Jan 2018 122,049 miles

Central Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit approxx 2mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

parking brake requirements only just met

Pass 25 Jan 2017 120,783 miles
Fail 24 Jan 2017 120,783 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 21 Jan 2016 118,260 miles

Both rear lower ball joint rubbers in poor condition

Bulb failure warning on

OSR inner side light not working 1 of 2

Play in NSR upper forward most suspension arm ball joint

Slight corrosion to OSR rear most brake pipe

Fail 20 Jan 2016 118,258 miles

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

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

Both rear lower ball joint rubbers in poor condition

Bulb failure warning on

Hand brake travel long

OSR inner side light not working 1 of 2

Play in NSR upper forward most suspension arm ball joint

Slight corrosion to OSR rear most brake pipe

Pass 13 Jan 2015 113,949 miles

Both rear lower suspension ball joint covers deteriating

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

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

Pass 22 Jan 2014 109,875 miles

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

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

Pass 16 Jan 2013 106,515 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 heatshield adrift

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

Pass 18 Jan 2012 102,713 miles

Offside Front Upper Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

heat shild loose at rear of vehicle

Pass 3 Feb 2011 99,997 miles

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

Offside Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

Rear exhaust silencer heat shield loose.

Pass 5 Jan 2010 96,544 miles

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

Offside Inner 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 12 Jan 2009 91,863 miles

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

Fail 8 Jan 2009 91,815 miles

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

Offside Front 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 3 Jan 2008 87,093 miles

1/front tyres worn on edges

2/slight play in o/s steering

Pass 10 Jan 2007 83,740 miles

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

Pass 19 Jan 2006 81,420 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

P3 PFC is a 1997 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.2%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 P3 PFC, 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 P3 PFC?

You can check the full history of P3 PFC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P3 PFC registered?

P3 PFC is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 20 February 1997.

Is P3 PFC safe to buy?

The MOT history for P3 PFC shows 18 tests with a 72.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P3 PFC 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 P3 PFC. 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.