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R121 ELG

1998 BMW 520

Silver Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires23 Aug 2012
Tests11 (6 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate54.5%

Mileage

178,018 mi
Last recorded178,018 miles
Recorded on29 Jul 2011
Typical for 1998 BMW 520121,173 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR121 ELG
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1998
ColourSilver
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

6 pass 5 fail
Pass 29 Jul 2011 178,018 miles

both front to rear brake pipes corroded

Fail 29 Jul 2011 178,018 miles

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

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

both front to rear brake pipes corroded

Fail 10 Aug 2010 171,160 miles

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

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

steering rack slightly damp

Pass 10 Aug 2010 171,160 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

steering rack slightly damp

Pass 24 Aug 2009 164,134 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

both front to rear brake pipes corroded

Fail 21 Aug 2009 164,081 miles

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

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

both front to rear brake pipes corroded

rear brake discs corroded and scored

Pass 26 Mar 2008 160,793 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2008 160,793 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Pass 16 Mar 2007 144,092 miles

Nearside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Offside Front front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Offside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Fail 16 Mar 2007 144,092 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Offside Front front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 30 Mar 2006 109,682 miles

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

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

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

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)

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

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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R121 ELG is a 1998 BMW 520 in Silver with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 11 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 54.5%.

Across all 1998 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.2% with a typical mileage of 121,173 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 R121 ELG, 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 28 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 R121 ELG?

You can check the full history of R121 ELG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R121 ELG registered?

R121 ELG is a 1998 BMW 520, first registered on 16 April 1998.

Is R121 ELG safe to buy?

The MOT history for R121 ELG shows 11 tests with a 54.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R121 ELG 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 R121 ELG. 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.