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R161 VBP

1998 BMW 523

White Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 Sep 2017
Tests18 (10 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate55.6%

Mileage

143,562 mi
Last recorded143,562 miles
Recorded on21 Sep 2016
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR161 VBP
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourWhite
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

10 pass 8 fail
Pass 21 Sep 2016 143,562 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2016 143,548 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 27 Aug 2015 128,460 miles
Fail 27 Aug 2015 128,459 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Pass 29 Aug 2014 118,503 miles

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

Fail 27 Aug 2014 118,437 miles

Nearside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Pass 6 Sep 2013 107,651 miles
Fail 23 Aug 2013 107,318 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

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

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

Pass 7 Sep 2012 97,436 miles

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

Fail 24 Aug 2012 97,431 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Lower Tie bar/rod rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Fail 2 Aug 2011 97,367 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

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

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

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

Offside Rear Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

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

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

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

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

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

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

Pass 21 Jul 2010 86,563 miles

Air bag light on.

N/S Washer jet partially blocked.

N/S/F Tyre wearing on inner edge.

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 22 Jul 2009 72,277 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2009 72,277 miles

Offside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

Nail in nearside front tyre

Pass 17 Jun 2008 63,479 miles
Fail 14 Jun 2008 63,479 miles

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

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

Pass 13 Jun 2007 53,669 miles
Pass 26 May 2006 46,430 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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R161 VBP is a 1998 BMW 523 in White with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.6%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 R161 VBP, 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 R161 VBP?

You can check the full history of R161 VBP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R161 VBP registered?

R161 VBP is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 1 May 1998.

Is R161 VBP safe to buy?

The MOT history for R161 VBP shows 18 tests with a 55.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R161 VBP 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 R161 VBP. 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.