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P789 RUW

1996 BMW 520

Red Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Sep 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

95,977 mi
Last recorded95,977 miles
Recorded on4 Sep 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW 520126,144 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

RegistrationP789 RUW
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1996
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

20 pass 4 fail
Pass 4 Sep 2025 95,977 miles
Fail 4 Sep 2025 95,976 miles

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously damaged, affecting the rear view (3.3 (b) (ii))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 4 Sep 2024 92,790 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Fail 4 Sep 2024 92,790 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 11 Aug 2023 91,148 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2023 91,095 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 19 Aug 2022 86,956 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2022 86,921 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn lower suspension knuckle (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt lower suspension knuckle (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 16 Aug 2021 82,911 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2020 79,869 miles
Pass 8 Aug 2019 74,477 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2018 70,214 miles

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

nearside rear lower hub bush/boot starting to split but still preventing the ingress of dirt.

Pass 21 Aug 2017 68,262 miles
Pass 11 Aug 2016 66,362 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2015 63,724 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 1 Sep 2014 62,495 miles

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

Pass 21 Aug 2013 59,777 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

front tyres worn on edge

Pass 22 Aug 2012 57,962 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

front brake discs slight lip

Pass 24 Aug 2011 55,857 miles

front brake discs worn

plastic inner wheel arch covers fitted/belly pan fitted

Pass 24 Aug 2010 52,319 miles

plastic inner wheel arch covers fitted

slight play in offside steering rack

Pass 20 Aug 2009 50,119 miles

near side front tyre wall split

plastic inner wheel arch covers fitted

Pass 21 Aug 2008 46,679 miles

belly pan fitted

plastic inner wheel arch covers fitted

Pass 28 Aug 2007 42,834 miles

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

Plastic inner wheel arch and floor pan covers fitted

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

Rear number plate deteriorating

Pass 14 Aug 2006 38,954 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)

plastic inner wheela arch covers fitted

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

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P789 RUW is a 1996 BMW 520 in Red with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

Across all 1996 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.7% with a typical mileage of 126,144 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 P789 RUW, 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 30 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 P789 RUW?

You can check the full history of P789 RUW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P789 RUW registered?

P789 RUW is a 1996 BMW 520, first registered on 30 August 1996.

Is P789 RUW safe to buy?

The MOT history for P789 RUW shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P789 RUW 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 P789 RUW. 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.