CarVerify

Free Car Check

P550 NLY

1997 BMW 520

Red Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires3 Jun 2017
Tests18 (11 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate61.1%

Mileage

90,896 mi
Last recorded90,896 miles
Recorded on4 Jun 2016
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 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

RegistrationP550 NLY
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,991cc

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

11 pass 7 fail
Pass 4 Jun 2016 90,896 miles

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced Both (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Front constant velocity joint gaiter damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.5.C.1a)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

rear tyres perished

Pass 14 May 2015 88,310 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly damaged (2.2.D.2b)

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

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

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 24 Apr 2015 88,159 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is broken (3.1.5)

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

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

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 23 May 2014 85,472 miles
Fail 21 May 2014 85,469 miles

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

Fail 8 May 2013 82,317 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 8 May 2013 82,317 miles
Pass 10 Apr 2012 78,817 miles

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)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Fail 13 Mar 2012 78,638 miles

Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely by positive means (7.2.4b)

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 22 Feb 2011 73,577 miles

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

Pass 28 Jan 2010 65,897 miles
Fail 22 Jan 2010 65,897 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

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)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 9 Jan 2009 61,904 miles
Fail 8 Jan 2009 61,904 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

centre brake light n/w

slight play in steering on o/s

Pass 17 Jan 2008 58,167 miles
Pass 17 Jan 2007 54,486 miles
Fail 16 Jan 2007 54,473 miles

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

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

Pass 12 Jan 2006 50,982 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 520?

Based on 1,661,806 MOT tests across 152,584 vehicles.

78.5%
Pass Rate
7,968
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
152,584
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 47,121
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 22,647
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,724
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 15,884
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 14,720
Full BMW 520 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

P550 NLY is a 1997 BMW 520 in Red with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.1%.

Across all 1997 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.6% with a typical mileage of 121,946 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 520 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 47,121 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P550 NLY, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 520 typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 520 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of P550 NLY?

You can check the full history of P550 NLY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P550 NLY registered?

P550 NLY is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 27 January 1997.

Is P550 NLY safe to buy?

The MOT history for P550 NLY shows 18 tests with a 61.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P550 NLY 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 P550 NLY. 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.