CarVerify

Free Car Check

R254 WDV

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires26 Jan 2026
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

191,420 mi
Last recorded191,420 miles
Recorded on13 Jan 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 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

RegistrationR254 WDV
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

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 13 Jan 2025 191,420 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2025 191,420 miles

Front Steering component fractured boots (2.1.3 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Jan 2024 179,660 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 11 Jan 2023 172,971 miles

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

Pass 14 Jan 2022 170,374 miles

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

Pass 15 Jan 2021 168,017 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2020 165,259 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2019 160,863 miles

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

Fail 17 Jan 2019 160,862 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated both sides (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Rear Coil spring fractured or broken both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 17 Jan 2018 155,264 miles

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

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated both sides (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 18 Jan 2017 149,590 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2016 142,731 miles

Front Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

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

under guard

Fail 18 Jan 2016 142,731 miles

Front Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) slightly corroded (2.3.2)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

under guard

Pass 19 Jan 2015 135,923 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 20 Jan 2014 126,620 miles

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

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 20 Jan 2014 126,620 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 21 Jan 2013 116,508 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2012 106,259 miles
Pass 17 Jan 2011 94,683 miles
Pass 14 Jan 2010 78,601 miles
Pass 27 Jan 2009 62,921 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2008 62,412 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)

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 11 Jul 2007 61,853 miles

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

Fail 10 Jul 2007 61,852 miles

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

Pass 18 Jul 2006 56,450 miles

Nearside front tyre on 1.6mm on inner edge NOW.

Slight play in offside rear suspension lower rear joint and rear upper, rear arm outer ball joint.

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

R254 WDV is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 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 R254 WDV, 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 R254 WDV?

You can check the full history of R254 WDV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R254 WDV registered?

R254 WDV is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 19 June 1998.

Is R254 WDV safe to buy?

The MOT history for R254 WDV shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R254 WDV 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 R254 WDV. 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.