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R138 ARO

1997 BMW 520

Silver Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Jan 2013
Tests13 (7 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate53.8%

Mileage

194,805 mi
Last recorded194,805 miles
Recorded on29 Dec 2011
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR138 ARO
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
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

7 pass 6 fail
Pass 29 Dec 2011 194,805 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

airbag warning lamp on dash

o/s/r door does not open from outside

Fail 28 Dec 2011 194,805 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

o/s/r door does not open from outside

Pass 4 Jan 2011 183,808 miles

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

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

Fail 30 Dec 2010 183,745 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

Pass 5 Jan 2010 173,690 miles

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

o/s/f & n/s/f brake disc distored

Fail 29 Dec 2009 173,608 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

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

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

o/s/f & n/s/f brake disc distored

Pass 30 Dec 2008 163,807 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

airbag warning lamp on dash

o/s/f tyre outer wall slightly cracked

o/s/r door outer handle missing

Fail 29 Dec 2008 163,774 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

airbag warning lamp on dash

o/s/f tyre outer wall slightly cracked

o/s/r door outer handle missing

Pass 24 Dec 2007 152,928 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

airbag warning light stays on.

Pass 8 Dec 2006 145,950 miles
Fail 6 Dec 2006 145,948 miles

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

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

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

Pass 4 Jan 2006 138,984 miles
Fail 30 Dec 2005 138,795 miles

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

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

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

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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R138 ARO is a 1997 BMW 520 in Silver with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.8%.

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 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 R138 ARO, 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 R138 ARO?

You can check the full history of R138 ARO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R138 ARO registered?

R138 ARO is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R138 ARO safe to buy?

The MOT history for R138 ARO shows 13 tests with a 53.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R138 ARO 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 R138 ARO. 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.