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P401 FTT

1996 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires25 Feb 2016
Tests18 (10 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate55.6%

Mileage

148,048 mi
Last recorded148,048 miles
Recorded on6 Feb 2015
Typical for 1996 BMW 523123,198 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

RegistrationP401 FTT
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1996
ColourSilver
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

10 pass 8 fail
Pass 6 Feb 2015 148,048 miles
Fail 30 Jan 2015 148,045 miles

Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

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

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

Pass 18 Feb 2014 141,640 miles
Fail 17 Feb 2014 141,639 miles

Driver's airbag obviously defective (5.4.1)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Pass 29 Jan 2013 133,202 miles

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

Pass 7 Feb 2012 126,316 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

air-bag warning light on

Pass 15 Feb 2011 122,030 miles

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

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

o/s & n/s rear brake hoses perished o.k for test

rear brake discs corroded o.k for test

Fail 14 Feb 2011 122,030 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

o/s & n/s rear brake hoses perished o.k for test

rear brake discs corroded o.k for test

Pass 26 Feb 2010 114,323 miles
Fail 25 Feb 2010 114,323 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Steering system excessively rough (2.2.D.1)

Nearside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Spare tyre defective

Pass 10 Dec 2008 98,253 miles
Fail 10 Dec 2008 98,248 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

Fail 13 Dec 2007 93,300 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

inner edge wear front tyres

slight exhaust blow centre joint

slight movement in NSR anti roll bar link

Pass 13 Dec 2007 93,300 miles

inner edge wear front tyres

slight exhaust blow centre joint

slight movement in NSR anti roll bar link

Pass 13 Dec 2006 86,724 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2006 86,673 miles

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

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

Hand brake lower reading on nearside brake than offside brake on tester.

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 10 Dec 2005 77,600 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 8 Dec 2005 77,565 miles

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

Nearside Rear Lower Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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)

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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P401 FTT is a 1996 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.6%.

Across all 1996 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.0% with a typical mileage of 123,198 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 P401 FTT, 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 30 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 P401 FTT?

You can check the full history of P401 FTT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P401 FTT registered?

P401 FTT is a 1996 BMW 523, first registered on 2 December 1996.

Is P401 FTT safe to buy?

The MOT history for P401 FTT shows 18 tests with a 55.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P401 FTT 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 P401 FTT. 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.