CarVerify

Free Car Check

R129 OAM

1997 BMW 520

Green Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Sep 2023
Tests22 (16 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate72.7%

Mileage

184,208 mi
Last recorded184,208 miles
Recorded on15 Sep 2022
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR129 OAM
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
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

16 pass 6 fail
Pass 15 Sep 2022 184,208 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2021 181,091 miles
Fail 15 Sep 2021 181,091 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 14 Sep 2020 177,314 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2019 173,301 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp has less than 1/2 LEDs not functioning (4.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Jun 2018 170,595 miles
Fail 22 Jun 2018 170,595 miles

Brake pipe leaking on an air braking system (1.1.11 (b) (i))

Pass 6 Jul 2017 168,499 miles

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 30 Jun 2017 168,495 miles

Nearside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement front arm (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Coolant leak ()

Offside Front Inner Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement front arm (2.4.G.2)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 29 Jun 2016 166,177 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2015 162,061 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Fail 4 Jun 2015 161,878 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

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

Pass 4 Jan 2014 159,121 miles

body sill covers fitted

brake pipes corroding

discs condition

rear inner and outer sills corroding

vehicle been standing

Pass 22 Dec 2012 159,041 miles

discs corroding

Fail 22 Dec 2012 159,041 miles

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

discs corroding

Pass 21 Jul 2011 157,733 miles

Suspension joint nearside upper dust cover split/missing

Suspension joint offside upper dust cover split/missing

o/s/f tyre worn inner edge

Pass 16 Aug 2010 156,081 miles

Oil leak

n/s/r lower suspension bush

Pass 15 Aug 2009 149,889 miles

o/s/r metal brake pipes corroding

Fail 8 Aug 2009 149,595 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

o/s/r metal brake pipes corroding

slight play in o/s rack knuckle

Pass 14 Aug 2008 145,446 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Oil leak

nearside bonnet catch sticking

Pass 18 Aug 2007 140,079 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2006 133,756 miles

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

R129 OAM is a 1997 BMW 520 in Green with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.7%.

Across all 1997 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.6% with a typical mileage of 121,946 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 R129 OAM, 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 29 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 R129 OAM?

You can check the full history of R129 OAM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R129 OAM registered?

R129 OAM is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 31 October 1997.

Is R129 OAM safe to buy?

The MOT history for R129 OAM shows 22 tests with a 72.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R129 OAM 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 R129 OAM. 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.