CarVerify

Free Car Check

R285 WLA

1998 BMW 5 Series

Blue Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires12 Sep 2014
Tests13 (7 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate53.8%

Mileage

158,315 mi
Last recorded158,315 miles
Recorded on13 Sep 2013
Typical for 1998 BMW 5 Series122,000 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR285 WLA
MakeBMW
Model5 Series
Year1998
ColourBlue
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

7 pass 6 fail
Fail 13 Sep 2013 158,315 miles

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 13 Sep 2013 158,315 miles
Fail 13 Jul 2012 144,059 miles

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

corrosion on both front to rear brake pipes by inner sill

damage on both front inner wheel rims

nearside front drop link gaiters deteriorated

play in nearside rear upper suspension arm rearward ball joint

stonechip in zone 'A' of windscreen

Pass 13 Jul 2012 144,059 miles

corrosion on both front to rear brake pipes by inner sill

damage on both front inner wheel rims

nearside front drop link gaiters deteriorated

play in nearside rear upper suspension arm rearward ball joint

stonechip in zone 'A' of windscreen

Pass 15 Jul 2011 142,600 miles

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

blow at exhaust CAT to centre sections

corrosion on front to rear brake pipes

damage on nearside front tyre sidewall

damage on nearside front wheel inner rim

stonechip in zone 'A' of windscreen

Pass 7 May 2010 141,709 miles

blow from exhaust down pipe to centre section joint

stonechip in zone 'A' of windscreen

Fail 7 May 2010 141,709 miles

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

blow from exhaust down pipe to centre section joint

stonechip in zone 'A' of windscreen

Pass 7 May 2009 138,311 miles

blow at exhaust centre pipe

offside front tyre near wear limit

Fail 7 May 2009 138,311 miles

Offside Headlamp not in a clean condition affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

blow at exhaust centre pipe

offside front tyre near wear limit

Pass 7 May 2008 135,854 miles

nearside front wheel rim damaged

both front lower suspension arm forward bushes worn slightly

nearside rear lower suspension arm outer bush worn slightly

offside front brake pads low

offside front tyre outer edge worn close to limit

slight blow at CAT joint

Fail 2 May 2008 135,854 miles

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

Offside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

both front lower suspension arm forward bushes worn slightly

nearside front wheel rim damaged

nearside rear lower suspension arm outer bush worn slightly

offside front brake pads low

offside front tyre outer edge worn close to limit

slight blow at CAT joint

Pass 10 Oct 2006 130,732 miles
Fail 20 Sep 2006 130,548 miles

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

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

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

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

Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

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

nearside rear tyre has tack in it

How Reliable is the BMW 5 Series?

Based on 944,163 MOT tests across 122,930 vehicles.

80.5%
Pass Rate
8,163
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
122,930
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 25,557
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 14,960
Brake pipe excessively corroded 12,202
parking brake recording little or no effort 7,953
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 7,589
Full BMW 5 Series 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

R285 WLA is a 1998 BMW 5 Series in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.8%.

Across all 1998 BMW 5 Series models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.6% with a typical mileage of 122,000 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 5 Series fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 25,557 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R285 WLA, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 5 Series typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 5 Series is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R285 WLA?

You can check the full history of R285 WLA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R285 WLA registered?

R285 WLA is a 1998 BMW 5 Series, first registered on 19 February 1998.

Is R285 WLA safe to buy?

The MOT history for R285 WLA shows 13 tests with a 53.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R285 WLA 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 R285 WLA. 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.