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P538 MMJ

1996 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 Nov 2014
Tests16 (8 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

138,960 mi
Last recorded138,960 miles
Recorded on6 Nov 2014
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

RegistrationP538 MMJ
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

8 pass 8 fail
Fail 6 Nov 2014 138,960 miles

Emissions not tested (7.3.A.1)

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

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 21 Nov 2013 121,061 miles

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

Fail 14 Nov 2013 121,061 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

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

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

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

Pass 17 Sep 2012 106,799 miles

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

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

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

offside rear seat belt casing missing but does not affect operation of the belt

Fail 25 Aug 2012 106,389 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Seat belt flexible stalk damaged but not likely to lead to failure under load (5.2.4a)

Pass 26 Apr 2012 101,755 miles
Fail 24 Apr 2012 101,701 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Pass 8 Jul 2011 94,377 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2011 94,377 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

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

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

Offside Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

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

Pass 6 Jul 2010 84,808 miles

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

Fail 6 Jul 2010 84,807 miles

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Pass 6 Jul 2009 76,329 miles

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

disabled brake controls fitted

Fail 24 Jun 2009 76,077 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Front position lamp(s) incorrect colour (1.1.A.3e)

Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

disabled brake controls fitted

Pass 21 Aug 2007 56,162 miles

Both outer rear seat belt stalk sticks

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

Nearside front droplink cover split (upper)

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

Fail 17 Aug 2007 56,162 miles

Exhaust mounting missing (7.1.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Both Rear seat belt stalks sticks

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

Nearside front droplink cover split (upper)

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

Rear brake pads low

Pass 10 Jul 2006 44,025 miles

Both front tyres worn on edges.

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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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.

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P538 MMJ is a 1996 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 P538 MMJ, 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 P538 MMJ?

You can check the full history of P538 MMJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P538 MMJ registered?

P538 MMJ is a 1996 BMW 523, first registered on 20 August 1996.

Is P538 MMJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for P538 MMJ shows 16 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P538 MMJ 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 P538 MMJ. 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.