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R235 VBY

1997 BMW 523

Red Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Aug 2020
Tests23 (15 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate65.2%

Mileage

157,774 mi
Last recorded157,774 miles
Recorded on8 Aug 2019
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 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

RegistrationR235 VBY
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourRed
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 8 fail
Pass 8 Aug 2019 157,774 miles

Nearside Front fog lamp lens broken but not protruding

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Rear exhaust shield hanging by one fixing

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Fail 7 Aug 2019 157,767 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (1.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp incorrect colour dip and main beam shows green / red image (4.1.4 (a))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Headlamp incorrect colour dip and main beam shows green / red image (4.1.4 (a))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn outer joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front fog lamp lens broken but not protruding

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Rear exhaust shield hanging by one fixing

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 10 Aug 2018

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Fail 9 Aug 2018

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly damaged (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 14 Aug 2017 138,826 miles

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

front brake discs worn thin

under trays fitted obstructing some underside components

Fail 12 Aug 2017 138,826 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image kick up to the offside (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

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

front brake discs worn thin

under trays fitted obstructing some underside components

Pass 13 Aug 2016 129,114 miles

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

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

Pass 15 Aug 2015 113,707 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2014 103,077 miles

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

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

Fail 29 Sep 2014 103,077 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

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

Pass 13 Aug 2013 93,485 miles
Fail 13 Aug 2013

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

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

Pass 25 Jul 2012 89,882 miles
Fail 2 Jul 2012 89,673 miles

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

Pass 5 Jul 2011 85,963 miles

Nail in offside rear tyre

Fail 20 Jul 2010 82,243 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 20 Jul 2010 82,243 miles
Pass 16 Jul 2009 78,661 miles
Fail 16 Jul 2009 78,658 miles

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

Pass 16 Jul 2008 74,372 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2007 70,552 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2006 66,471 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2005 60,569 miles

Offside parking brake performance low.

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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R235 VBY is a 1997 BMW 523 in Red with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.2%.

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 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 R235 VBY, 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 R235 VBY?

You can check the full history of R235 VBY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R235 VBY registered?

R235 VBY is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R235 VBY safe to buy?

The MOT history for R235 VBY shows 23 tests with a 65.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R235 VBY 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 R235 VBY. 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.