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R121 JMV

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Dec 2026
Tests30 (21 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

58,732 mi
Last recorded58,732 miles
Recorded on2 Dec 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 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

RegistrationR121 JMV
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

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

21 pass 9 fail
Pass 2 Dec 2025 58,732 miles
Pass 27 Nov 2024 58,371 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2023 58,037 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Pass 5 Dec 2022 57,658 miles

Offside Rear Nail in tyre tread ()

Pass 6 Dec 2021 57,050 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 30 Nov 2020 56,598 miles

BOTH REAR TOP OUTER BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE IN POOR CONDITION

THE AJUSTERS IN THE OS HEADLIGHT ARE IN POOR CONDITION

THE NSF ROLL BAR DROP LINK TOP BALL JOINT GAITER IS IN POOR CONDITION

Fail 30 Nov 2020 56,598 miles

BOTH REAR TOP OUTER BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE IN POOR CONDITION

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

THE AJUSTERS IN THE OS HEADLIGHT ARE IN POOR CONDITION

THE NSF ROLL BAR DROP LINK TOP BALL JOINT GAITER IS IN POOR CONDITION

Pass 3 Dec 2019 56,201 miles

BOTH REAR OUTER TOP BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE IN POOR CONDITION

THE NSF ROLL BAR DROP LINK TOP BALL JOINT GAITER IS IN POOR CONDITION.

Pass 4 Dec 2018 55,716 miles

THE NSF DROP LINK TOP BALL JOINT GAITER IS IN POOR CONDITION

THE NSR AND OSR TOP OUTER BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE POOR

Fail 4 Dec 2018 55,716 miles

Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements DELAMINATED (0.1 (d))

THE NSF DROP LINK TOP BALL JOINT GAITER IS IN POOR CONDITION

THE NSR AND OSR TOP OUTER BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE POOR

Pass 5 Dec 2017 55,124 miles

THE NSR AND OSR TOP OUT BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE IN POOR CONDITION

Fail 4 Dec 2017 55,124 miles

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

THE NSR AND OSR TOP OUT BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE IN POOR CONDITION

Pass 12 Dec 2016 54,522 miles

THE NSR AND OSR TOP OUTER BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE IN POOR CONDITION

Fail 12 Dec 2016 54,522 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

THE BATTERY WAS FLAT BEFORE THE MOT WAS DONE

THE NSR AND OSR TOP OUTER BALL JOINT GAITERS ARE IN POOR CONDITION

Pass 4 Dec 2015 53,859 miles
Fail 4 Dec 2015 53,859 miles

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 1 Dec 2014 53,182 miles
Fail 1 Dec 2014 53,182 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 4 Dec 2013 52,190 miles
Fail 4 Dec 2013 52,190 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

BULB FAULT TELL TALE IS ON

CENTRE STOP LAMP IS NOT WORKING BUT UNABLE TO SEE IF IT IS WIRED UP

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Vehicle's internal headlight adjuster altered to recheck lights

Pass 22 Nov 2012 51,209 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Rear registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

THE AIR BAG FAULT TELL TALE LIGHT IS ON

Pass 10 Dec 2011 49,824 miles

Airbag light on

Pass 11 Dec 2010 47,886 miles

airbag light on

front tyres getting low on edges

Pass 1 Dec 2009 45,158 miles
Fail 1 Dec 2009 45,158 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

airbag light on

Pass 12 Dec 2008 43,007 miles

AIR BAG FAULT TELL TALE LAMP IS ON.

CAR BATTERY WAS FLAT BEFORE MOT WAS DONE.

OSR NSR AND NSF TYRE OUTER SIDE WALLS ARE DAMAGE BUT NOT TO THE CORDS

OSR TYRE INNER SIDE WALL CRACKED.

Pass 11 Dec 2007 40,993 miles
Fail 9 Dec 2006 38,439 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 9 Dec 2006 38,439 miles
Pass 10 Dec 2005 35,827 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 523?

Based on 254,660 MOT tests across 20,979 vehicles.

69.9%
Pass Rate
5,849
Miles/Year
30
Year Lifespan
20,979
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,201
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 15,085
parking brake recording little or no effort 9,427
Brake pipe excessively corroded 9,143
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,285
Full BMW 523 reliability report

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R121 JMV is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1998 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.9% with a typical mileage of 117,395 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 523 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 17,201 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R121 JMV, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 523 typically stays on UK roads for around 30 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 523 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R121 JMV?

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

What year was R121 JMV registered?

R121 JMV is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R121 JMV safe to buy?

The MOT history for R121 JMV shows 30 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R121 JMV 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 JMV. 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.