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R261 XAO

1997 BMW 535

Green Petrol 3498cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires30 Apr 2013
Tests9 (5 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate55.6%

Mileage

Typical for 1997 BMW 535117,977 mi
4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR261 XAO
MakeBMW
Model535
Year1997
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,498cc

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

5 pass 4 fail
Pass 1 May 2012

nearside rear tyre low on inner edge

offside front tyre low on inner edge

oil leak

slight exhaust leak

Fail 12 Apr 2012 167,232 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

air bag light is on

boot not opening

brake warning light on

o/s/ front brake pipe slightly corroded

o/s/f disc corroded inner edge

Pass 11 Apr 2011 162,254 miles
Fail 4 Feb 2011 162,195 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

all discs corroded

offside rear door not opening

Pass 19 Sep 2008 154,612 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 2 Sep 2008

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 An item not tested (Manual)

Nearside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

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

Offside Front Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition off (1.4.B.1f)

Offside Front Hazard warning lamps not flashing in phase, with ignition on (1.4.B.1f)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

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

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

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Fail 26 Oct 2007

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

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

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

Pass 8 Nov 2006 139,464 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2005 128,449 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 535?

Based on 216,162 MOT tests across 18,035 vehicles.

78.7%
Pass Rate
7,094
Miles/Year
38
Year Lifespan
18,035
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 6,346
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 4,237
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 2,669
Brake pipe excessively corroded 2,608
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 2,438
Full BMW 535 reliability report

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R261 XAO is a 1997 BMW 535 in Green with a 3,498cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 9 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.6%.

Across all 1997 BMW 535 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.4% with a typical mileage of 117,977 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 535 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 6,346 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R261 XAO, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 535 typically stays on UK roads for around 38 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 535 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R261 XAO?

You can check the full history of R261 XAO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R261 XAO registered?

R261 XAO is a 1997 BMW 535, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R261 XAO safe to buy?

The MOT history for R261 XAO shows 9 tests with a 55.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R261 XAO 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 R261 XAO. 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.