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P5 SSG

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Aug 2026
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

70,382 mi
Last recorded70,382 miles
Recorded on12 Aug 2025
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

RegistrationP5 SSG
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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 12 Aug 2025 70,382 miles

Nearside Front Inner Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced corrosion to sill near jacking point area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced corrosion to sill near jacking point area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced corrosion to sill near jacking point area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

both metal fuel pipes corroded

general corrosion to both rear brake pipes

Fail 11 Aug 2025 70,381 miles

Nearside Front Outer Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Inner Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced corrosion to sill near jacking point area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced corrosion to sill near jacking point area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced corrosion to sill near jacking point area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

both metal fuel pipes corroded

general corrosion to both rear brake pipes

Pass 16 Aug 2024 68,098 miles

Central Stop lamp(s) with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning High level brake light in op (4.3.1 (a) (i))

Metal fuel lines corroded

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 18 Aug 2023 66,536 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2022

unable to read vehicle mileage

Fail 17 Aug 2022

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

Pass 7 Jul 2021 62,999 miles

Nearside Rear Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.2.1 (a) (i))

Pass 2 Jul 2020 61,353 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Rear fuel pipes showing signs of light corrosion

Pass 8 Aug 2019 59,706 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Obligatory mirror slightly damaged (3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Inner Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 7 Aug 2019 59,706 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Obligatory mirror slightly damaged (3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Inner Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 7 Aug 2018 57,610 miles
Fail 31 Jul 2018 57,610 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 18 Jul 2017

All coil springs corroded

o/s/f tyre sidewall aged

Pass 12 Jul 2016

All 4 brake discs corroding

both door mirror glasses deteriorating

Pass 24 Jun 2015 52,767 miles
Fail 23 Jun 2015 52,766 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

N/S/R tyre side wall cracked.

Pass 28 May 2014 51,246 miles
Fail 28 May 2014 51,245 miles

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 11 Jun 2013 49,711 miles

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

Pass 24 Apr 2012 49,457 miles

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

Fail 24 Apr 2012 49,457 miles

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

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

Pass 12 Apr 2011 47,691 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2010 45,299 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2009 43,737 miles

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)

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)

o/s/f fog lamp broken

Pass 19 Mar 2008 41,866 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2008 41,866 miles

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

handbrake efficiecy poor

rear brake pads just off sensor

Pass 20 Mar 2007 38,952 miles

chip in windscreen

n/s wiper blade split/replaced at time of test

rear brake discs worn

rear brake pads on approx 3mm

Pass 21 Mar 2006 37,121 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

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P5 SSG is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 P5 SSG, 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 P5 SSG?

You can check the full history of P5 SSG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P5 SSG registered?

P5 SSG is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 8 March 1997.

Is P5 SSG safe to buy?

The MOT history for P5 SSG shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P5 SSG 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 P5 SSG. 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.