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R238 LFJ

1997 BMW 520

Silver Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 May 2013
Tests13 (6 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate46.2%

Mileage

106,070 mi
Last recorded106,070 miles
Recorded on9 May 2012
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR238 LFJ
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

6 pass 7 fail
Pass 9 May 2012 106,070 miles
Fail 2 May 2012 106,059 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade missing (8.2.2)

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)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

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

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (3.1.3c)

Pass 27 Apr 2011 100,390 miles
Fail 22 Apr 2011 100,390 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Body has a projection caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

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

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 1 Feb 2010 91,155 miles
Fail 27 Jan 2010 91,155 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

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

Fail 4 Jan 2010 91,054 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

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

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 6 Jan 2009 84,798 miles
Fail 23 Dec 2008 84,798 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

Front Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 5 Nov 2007 77,360 miles
Fail 5 Nov 2007 77,360 miles

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Pass 8 Nov 2006 68,792 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2006 6,874 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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R238 LFJ is a 1997 BMW 520 in Silver with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 46.2%.

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 R238 LFJ, 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 R238 LFJ?

You can check the full history of R238 LFJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R238 LFJ registered?

R238 LFJ is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R238 LFJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R238 LFJ shows 13 tests with a 46.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R238 LFJ 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 R238 LFJ. 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.