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R357 MCA

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires21 Nov 2021
Tests22 (9 pass, 13 fail)
Pass rate40.9%

Mileage

230,784 mi
Last recorded230,784 miles
Recorded on16 Nov 2020
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR357 MCA
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

9 pass 13 fail
Pass 16 Nov 2020 230,784 miles
Fail 11 Nov 2020 230,780 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Floor excessively deteriorated (6.2.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 22 Nov 2019 225,014 miles

Nearside Rear Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Fail 14 Nov 2019 225,014 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Rear Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 15 Nov 2018 214,371 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 12 Nov 2018 214,369 miles

Headlamp aim so that beam "kick up" is not visible on the screen (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 14 Nov 2017 204,674 miles
Fail 13 Nov 2017 204,674 miles

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

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

Fail 12 Oct 2017 204,429 miles

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

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

Fail 27 Sep 2017 204,419 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Pass 3 Oct 2016 196,018 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

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

Fail 16 Sep 2016 195,595 miles

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded sill (2.4.A.3)

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

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

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

Pass 20 May 2011 146,206 miles

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

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

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

Fail 7 May 2011 146,199 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

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

Nearside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

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

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

Fail 29 Dec 2010 146,135 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 10 Nov 2009 144,858 miles
Fail 10 Nov 2009 144,856 miles

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 19 Nov 2008 139,768 miles
Fail 18 Nov 2008 139,760 miles

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

Fail 14 Nov 2008 139,619 miles

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

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

nearside front tyre wear on inside edge

Pass 4 Dec 2007 133,855 miles
Fail 3 Dec 2007 133,831 miles

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

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

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

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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R357 MCA is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 40.9%.

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 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 R357 MCA, 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 R357 MCA?

You can check the full history of R357 MCA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R357 MCA registered?

R357 MCA is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R357 MCA safe to buy?

The MOT history for R357 MCA shows 22 tests with a 40.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R357 MCA 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 R357 MCA. 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.