CarVerify

Free Car Check

R178 CBW

1998 BMW 523

Purple Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires4 Oct 2013
Tests12 (8 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

157,193 mi
Last recorded157,193 miles
Recorded on5 Oct 2012
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
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

RegistrationR178 CBW
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourPurple
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

8 pass 4 fail
Pass 5 Oct 2012 157,193 miles

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

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

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

all rear steel brake pipes corroded

front tyres and nearside rear close to limit

Pass 5 Oct 2011 148,840 miles

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

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

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

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 Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 4 Oct 2010 139,684 miles

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

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

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

Power steering pump has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Pass 1 Oct 2009 133,164 miles

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

Front Headlamp not in a clean condition but not affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

Pass 29 Sep 2008 124,739 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 29 Sep 2008 124,739 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 26 Sep 2007 113,037 miles
Fail 25 Sep 2007 113,037 miles

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

Pass 6 Sep 2006 111,427 miles

front no.plate perishing

Fail 5 Sep 2006 111,427 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

front no.plate perishing

Pass 23 Dec 2005 106,705 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2005 106,522 miles

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

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

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

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

R178 CBW is a 1998 BMW 523 in Purple with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 R178 CBW, 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 R178 CBW?

You can check the full history of R178 CBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R178 CBW registered?

R178 CBW is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 5 January 1998.

Is R178 CBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R178 CBW shows 12 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R178 CBW 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 R178 CBW. 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.