CarVerify

Free Car Check

R230 AHJ

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires4 Jan 2021
Tests19 (15 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate78.9%

Mileage

226,450 mi
Last recorded226,450 miles
Recorded on4 Jul 2019
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR230 AHJ
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

15 pass 4 fail
Pass 4 Jul 2019 226,450 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 4 Jul 2019 226,450 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 4 Jul 2018 219,429 miles

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 5 Jul 2017 215,224 miles
Pass 3 May 2016 204,973 miles

Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush front bush (2.4.G.2)

Fuel pipe slightly corroded

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

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

Oil leak

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion sill (6.1.B.2)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some components

Pass 6 Mar 2015 202,871 miles

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 24 Apr 2014 200,952 miles

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

brake warning light on

fuel pipes corroded

handbrake travel long

nail in nearside rear tyre (unrepairable and leaking)

nearside headlight beam pattern poor

nearside rear top suspension arm balljoint worn (borderline)

nearside rear tyre worn on inside edge

noise from rear axle

offside headlight beam pattern poor

offside mirror glass

plastic sill covers fitted

play in steering rack ends

rear discs corroded and worn

spare tyre low on outer edge

Pass 16 May 2013 197,127 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

brake warning light on

rear brake discs corroded and worn

Pass 14 May 2012 193,904 miles

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

advise customer oil low

brake warning lamp on dash

fuel pipes corroded

plastic sill covers fitted

Pass 9 May 2011 191,713 miles

brake warning light on

fuel pipes corroded

movement in n/s/f suspension front lower arm ball joint

rear discs corroded

Pass 17 May 2010 190,397 miles

brake warning light illuminated.

rear discs slightly pitted.

undertrays fitted.

Fail 10 May 2010 190,243 miles

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

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 19 May 2009 181,991 miles
Fail 11 May 2009 181,943 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

both rear tyres low on tread 3mm reccomend replacement

slight movement in os and ns lower arm front bushs

under trays fitted

Pass 26 Jun 2008 172,103 miles
Fail 25 Jun 2008 172,103 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 11 Jul 2007 161,848 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2006 154,617 miles

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

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

air bag light on

Pass 28 Jul 2005 147,048 miles

both rear tyres getting low

n/s/f tyre wearing on outer edge †

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

R230 AHJ is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.9%.

Across all 1997 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 121,619 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 R230 AHJ, 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 29 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 R230 AHJ?

You can check the full history of R230 AHJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R230 AHJ registered?

R230 AHJ is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 12 August 1997.

Is R230 AHJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R230 AHJ shows 19 tests with a 78.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R230 AHJ 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 R230 AHJ. 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.