CarVerify

Free Car Check

P797 UBD

1996 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires6 Aug 2014
Tests13 (8 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate61.5%

Mileage

136,271 mi
Last recorded136,271 miles
Recorded on5 Aug 2014
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
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

RegistrationP797 UBD
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1996
ColourBlue
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

8 pass 5 fail
Fail 5 Aug 2014 136,271 miles

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

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 6 Aug 2013 131,186 miles
Fail 6 Aug 2013 131,186 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Pass 20 Jul 2012 122,973 miles

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

Slight damage to front valance and n/s/f fog lamp

Pass 22 Jul 2011 116,112 miles

slight play/clonk in n/s/r antiroll bar link joint

Fail 22 Jul 2011 116,112 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

slight play/clonk in n/s/r antiroll bar link joint

Fail 7 Aug 2010 108,105 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)

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

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

Pass 7 Aug 2010 108,105 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2009 101,200 miles

Front tyres wearing low on outer edges and nail in n/s/r tyre

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

Slight drag on n/s/r brake at wheel

Pass 18 Jul 2008 94,938 miles

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

o/s/f upper anti roll bar ball joint gaiter split

Pass 19 Jul 2007 91,667 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2006 84,549 miles
Fail 3 Aug 2006 84,549 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm 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)

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

P797 UBD is a 1996 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.5%.

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 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 P797 UBD, 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 P797 UBD?

You can check the full history of P797 UBD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P797 UBD registered?

P797 UBD is a 1996 BMW 520, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is P797 UBD safe to buy?

The MOT history for P797 UBD shows 13 tests with a 61.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P797 UBD 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 P797 UBD. 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.