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PWL 396W

1981 BMW 5 Series

Blue Petrol 3430cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires2 Jul 2024
Tests5 (3 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

106,505 mi
Last recorded106,505 miles
Recorded on3 Jul 2023
Typical for 1981 BMW 5 Series110,269 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

RegistrationPWL 396W
MakeBMW
Model5 Series
Year1981
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,430cc

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

3 pass 2 fail
Pass 3 Jul 2023 106,505 miles

Central Rear Oil leak, but not excessive gearbox (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 4 May 2022 105,340 miles

Central Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

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

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

Fail 9 Apr 2022 105,339 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Rear Fuel hose leaking excessively or a risk of fire (6.1.3 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Central Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside 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))

Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

Pass 8 Oct 2014 104,700 miles
Fail 8 Oct 2014 104,699 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

How Reliable is the BMW 5 Series?

Based on 944,163 MOT tests across 122,930 vehicles.

80.5%
Pass Rate
8,163
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
122,930
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 25,557
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 14,960
Brake pipe excessively corroded 12,202
parking brake recording little or no effort 7,953
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,589
Full BMW 5 Series reliability report

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PWL 396W is a 1981 BMW 5 Series in Blue with a 3,430cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 5 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1981 BMW 5 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.2% with a typical mileage of 110,269 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 5 Series fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 25,557 recorded failures. If you're considering buying PWL 396W, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 5 Series typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 45 years old, this BMW 5 Series is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of PWL 396W?

You can check the full history of PWL 396W by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was PWL 396W registered?

PWL 396W is a 1981 BMW 5 Series, first registered on 1 March 1981.

Is PWL 396W safe to buy?

The MOT history for PWL 396W shows 5 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does PWL 396W 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 PWL 396W. 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.