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R38 LPC

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires17 Feb 2012
Tests9 (4 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate44.4%

Mileage

232,999 mi
Last recorded232,999 miles
Recorded on18 Feb 2011
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR38 LPC
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

4 pass 5 fail
Pass 18 Feb 2011 232,999 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside front to rear floor surface corrosion.

Nearside rear handbrake slow and low reading.

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

Oil leak

Travel on handbrake.

Fail 15 Dec 2010 232,997 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

nearside outer sill corroded but covered in trims and paint but no hole visable at present

Fail 14 Oct 2009 222,243 miles

Nearside Front All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

lower arm bushes worn

rear tyres worn edges

wear front disc

Pass 14 Oct 2009 222,243 miles

lower arm bushes worn

rear tyres worn edges

wear front disc

Pass 5 May 2008 199,063 miles
Fail 2 May 2008 198,983 miles

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

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Fail 29 Oct 2007 192,099 miles

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Airbag warning light on

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

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Nearside front to rear brake pipe corroding at rear

Nearside outer sill badly corroded and holed in places but unable to see full extent of corrosion duw to plastic covers.

Unable to see rear suspension mounts or seat belt mountings near to corroded outer sill due to plastic covers

Unable to see some testable items due to plastic covers

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

Pass 25 May 2006 181,861 miles

Nearside Front Lower Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 25 May 2006 181,861 miles

Offside Rear Torsion bar excessive play at an end fixing (2.4.E.2)

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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R38 LPC is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 9 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 44.4%.

Across all 1997 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.1% with a typical mileage of 121,619 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 R38 LPC, 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 29 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 R38 LPC?

You can check the full history of R38 LPC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R38 LPC registered?

R38 LPC is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R38 LPC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R38 LPC shows 9 tests with a 44.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R38 LPC 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 R38 LPC. 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.