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P856 STM

1997 BMW 520

White Petrol 1990cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires2 Dec 2015
Tests17 (10 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate58.8%

Mileage

149,937 mi
Last recorded149,937 miles
Recorded on28 Nov 2014
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 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

RegistrationP856 STM
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourWhite
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,990cc

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

10 pass 7 fail
Pass 28 Nov 2014 149,937 miles

Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 3 Dec 2013 146,534 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 27 Nov 2012 135,415 miles

Oil leak

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

r/n/s tyre wall low on inner edge

slight cracking on f/n/s,r/n/s,r/o/s tyre walls but not down to cords

Fail 23 Nov 2012 135,415 miles

Centre Upper Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Front Tie bar/rod ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Offside Front Tie bar/rod ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Oil leak

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

air bag warning lamp on dash

r/n/s tyre wall low on inner edge

slight cracking on f/n/s,r/n/s,r/o/s tyre walls but not down to cords

Pass 15 Mar 2012 131,804 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2012 131,804 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Fail 21 Mar 2011 124,544 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 21 Mar 2011 124,544 miles
Pass 31 Mar 2010 117,679 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2010 117,677 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

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

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

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

Pass 23 Mar 2009 111,140 miles
Fail 11 Mar 2009 111,117 miles

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

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

Pass 21 Jan 2008 103,325 miles

Brake light illuminated on dashboard

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)

Pass 22 Jan 2007 94,655 miles
Fail 15 Jan 2007 94,504 miles

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

Pass 19 Dec 2005 84,914 miles
Fail 13 Dec 2005 84,789 miles

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

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

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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P856 STM is a 1997 BMW 520 in White with a 1,990cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.8%.

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 P856 STM, 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 P856 STM?

You can check the full history of P856 STM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P856 STM registered?

P856 STM is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 18 March 1997.

Is P856 STM safe to buy?

The MOT history for P856 STM shows 17 tests with a 58.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P856 STM 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 P856 STM. 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.