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R120 BFS

1997 BMW 525

Green Diesel 2498cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 May 2026
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

85,554 mi
Last recorded85,554 miles
Recorded on21 May 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 525141,402 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

RegistrationR120 BFS
MakeBMW
Model525
Year1997
ColourGreen
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,498cc

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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 21 May 2025 85,554 miles
Fail 6 Feb 2024 85,544 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting floor holed (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting sill holed (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 16 Dec 2022 84,444 miles
Pass 20 Dec 2021 77,974 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2021 69,652 miles
Pass 13 Jan 2020 68,253 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 12 Dec 2018 68,245 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 12 Dec 2018 68,245 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 23 Nov 2017 68,233 miles

Slight roughness in N/S front wheel bearing

Pass 12 Dec 2016 68,194 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2015 67,643 miles
Pass 1 Dec 2014 66,513 miles

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Very slight noise on N/S front wheel bearing

Pass 18 Dec 2013 64,592 miles
Fail 13 Dec 2013 64,591 miles

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

Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Pass 17 Dec 2012 63,731 miles
Fail 10 Dec 2012 63,731 miles

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

Fail 19 Nov 2012 63,528 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

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

Pass 15 Nov 2011 62,084 miles

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

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

Plastic undertrays fitted several testable items could not be seen

Pass 15 Nov 2010 60,426 miles
Fail 8 Nov 2010 60,424 miles

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

front backplates detached at bottom

slight buckle o/s/f wheel

Fail 18 Nov 2009 58,653 miles

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

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 18 Nov 2009 58,653 miles
Pass 20 Nov 2008 56,003 miles

brake judder on road under harsh braking

requires brake and fuel pipes cavity waxed

Pass 13 Nov 2007 53,662 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)

front tyres worn on inside edges

rear brake discs worn-warped?

requires brake and fuel pipes cavity waxed

Pass 20 Nov 2006 49,924 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 525?

Based on 724,963 MOT tests across 56,965 vehicles.

74.4%
Pass Rate
7,259
Miles/Year
37
Year Lifespan
56,965
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 33,171
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,448
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,227
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 10,065
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 9,710
Full BMW 525 reliability report

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R120 BFS is a 1997 BMW 525 in Green with a 2,498cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

Across all 1997 BMW 525 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.3% with a typical mileage of 141,402 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 525 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 33,171 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R120 BFS, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 525 typically stays on UK roads for around 37 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 525 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R120 BFS?

You can check the full history of R120 BFS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R120 BFS registered?

R120 BFS is a 1997 BMW 525, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R120 BFS safe to buy?

The MOT history for R120 BFS shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R120 BFS 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 R120 BFS. 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.