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R185 SEP

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires13 Oct 2014
Tests16 (8 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

173,520 mi
Last recorded173,520 miles
Recorded on9 Oct 2013
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 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

RegistrationR185 SEP
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourSilver
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 8 fail
Pass 9 Oct 2013 173,520 miles

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

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

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

Fail 9 Oct 2013 173,520 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Pass 10 Oct 2012 165,361 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Fuel pipe corroded

Rear suspension arms have slight play

Fail 3 Oct 2012 165,355 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Fuel pipe corroded

Rear suspension arms have slight play

Pass 14 Oct 2011 158,560 miles
Fail 8 Oct 2011 158,542 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Headlamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.7.5c)

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

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

ad engine overheating

Pass 14 Oct 2010 146,565 miles

Brake wear warning lamp on

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

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

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

Unable to to determine actual thickness of front brake pad friction material

Fail 7 Oct 2010 146,138 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Brake wear warning lamp on

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

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

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

Unable to to determine actual thickness of front brake pad friction material

Pass 8 Oct 2009 125,305 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2009 124,926 miles

Nearside Rear 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)

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

Brake pads not visable through wheels

Fail 15 May 2008 103,083 miles

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

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

Pass 15 May 2008 103,083 miles

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

Fail 30 Apr 2007 97,305 miles

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Pass 30 Apr 2007 97,305 miles
Fail 4 Apr 2007 97,166 miles

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

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

full engine tray fitted.

steering rack wet with oil both sides but no leaks found

Pass 29 Mar 2006 90,103 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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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R185 SEP is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 R185 SEP, 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 R185 SEP?

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

What year was R185 SEP registered?

R185 SEP is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 2 January 1998.

Is R185 SEP safe to buy?

The MOT history for R185 SEP shows 16 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 SEP 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 SEP. 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.