CarVerify

Free Car Check

P890 FFJ

1996 BMW 520

Green Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Feb 2027
Tests16 (12 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

122,879 mi
Last recorded122,879 miles
Recorded on28 Jan 2026
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

RegistrationP890 FFJ
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1996
ColourGreen
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

12 pass 4 fail
Pass 28 Jan 2026 122,879 miles

Central Rear Upper Stop lamp(s) with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.3.1 (a) (i))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened inner surfaces, corroded/pitted (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear - to joining T piece (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 27 Jan 2026 122,878 miles

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Central Rear Upper Stop lamp(s) with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.3.1 (a) (i))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened inner surfaces, corroded/pitted (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear - to joining T piece (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 4 Feb 2025 120,261 miles

Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing tyre slightly cracked/perished between tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing tyre slightly cracked/perished between tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 5 Feb 2024 118,670 miles

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

front to rear fuel pipe corroded

Pass 25 Jan 2023 117,394 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2022 114,890 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2012 110,332 miles
Fail 31 Jan 2012 110,332 miles

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

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

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

Pass 5 Aug 2010 103,074 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Fail 4 Aug 2010 103,074 miles

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Pass 31 Jul 2009 97,515 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

Fail 15 Jul 2009 96,992 miles

Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Nearside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

offside front tyre worn on edges

Pass 25 Jul 2008 93,829 miles

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

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

nearside front tyre worn on outer edge

rear tyres worn on inner edges

Pass 17 Jul 2007 89,794 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2006 85,371 miles

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

Rear Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

osr axle bush perished

silencer corroded

Pass 16 Jul 2005 83,067 miles

rear arb link bushes perished

rear axle bushes perished

rear silencer corroded

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

P890 FFJ is a 1996 BMW 520 in Green with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 P890 FFJ, 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 P890 FFJ?

You can check the full history of P890 FFJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P890 FFJ registered?

P890 FFJ is a 1996 BMW 520, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is P890 FFJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for P890 FFJ shows 16 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P890 FFJ 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 P890 FFJ. 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.