CarVerify

Free Car Check

R185 BSF

1997 BMW 520

Silver Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires4 Oct 2013
Tests14 (7 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

117,201 mi
Last recorded117,201 miles
Recorded on2 Oct 2013
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 mi

Below or 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

RegistrationR185 BSF
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 7 fail
Fail 2 Oct 2013 117,201 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Electronic stability system warning lamp indicates a fault (3.4.1c)

Nearside Rear Upper Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Upper Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 5 Oct 2012 112,020 miles

Nail in offside front tyre

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

Offside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Fail 3 Oct 2012 111,970 miles

Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nail in offside front tyre

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

Offside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Pass 6 Sep 2011 103,213 miles

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

front number plate damaged

Fail 26 Aug 2011 103,059 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

front number plate damaged

Pass 24 Aug 2010 96,998 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 20 Aug 2010 96,957 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Torque/reaction arm has a deteriorated rubber bush resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Torque/reaction arm has a deteriorated rubber bush resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

passenger door does not latch securely closed (6.2.B.1a)

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 13 Aug 2009 92,694 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

front number plate damaged

Fail 13 Aug 2009 92,694 miles

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

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

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

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

front number plate damaged

Pass 14 Aug 2008 89,023 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2008 88,958 miles

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

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

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 24 Jul 2007 84,496 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2007 84,466 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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)

Pass 13 Jul 2006 80,366 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

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

R185 BSF is a 1997 BMW 520 in Silver with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 14 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 R185 BSF, 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 R185 BSF?

You can check the full history of R185 BSF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R185 BSF registered?

R185 BSF is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 7 July 1997.

Is R185 BSF safe to buy?

The MOT history for R185 BSF shows 14 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R185 BSF 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 R185 BSF. 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.