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R397 JCW

1998 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires21 Apr 2023
Tests28 (17 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate60.7%

Mileage

123,784 mi
Last recorded123,784 miles
Recorded on22 Apr 2022
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR397 JCW
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
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

17 pass 11 fail
Pass 22 Apr 2022 123,784 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 1 Mar 2021 120,896 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Inner sill/outer sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Mar 2020 119,117 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Fail 18 Mar 2020 119,117 miles

Nearside Front Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 13 Mar 2019 116,413 miles
Fail 13 Mar 2019 116,412 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Seat belt buckle not functioning as intended (7.1.2 (d))

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear nail in tyre close to sidewall 225/60/15v

Pass 20 Mar 2018 113,843 miles

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

Fail 19 Mar 2018 113,843 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded to flexible hose. (3.6.B.2c)

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

Pass 15 Mar 2017 110,092 miles
Fail 15 Mar 2017 110,092 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 21 Mar 2016 105,158 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2015 103,315 miles

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

Fail 10 Mar 2015 103,314 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

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

secondary bonnet catch seized

Pass 11 Mar 2014 99,417 miles
Fail 10 Mar 2014 99,417 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 21 Mar 2013 95,737 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2012 93,125 miles

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

Fail 21 Mar 2012 93,125 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 8 Feb 2011 89,367 miles
Fail 8 Feb 2011 89,367 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (8.4.1) DANGEROUS

Air Bag Light Is On.

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

Pass 8 Feb 2010 84,104 miles

Air Bag Light Is On.

N/S/F Tyre,Tread Wearing At Inside Edge (225/60 R15 96V).

N/S/R Tyre Has Uneven Wear At The Inside Edge Of The Tread Area(225/60 R15 96V).

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

Fail 8 Feb 2010 84,104 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Air Bag Light Is On.

N/S/F Tyre,Tread Wearing At Inside Edge (225/60 R15 96V).

N/S/R Tyre Has Uneven Wear At The Inside Edge Of The Tread Area(225/60 R15 96V).

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

Pass 30 Jan 2009 79,307 miles

Air Bag(SRS) Light Is On.

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Fail 30 Jan 2009 79,307 miles

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

Air Bag(SRS) Light Is On.

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

Pass 5 Feb 2008 72,965 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2007 66,846 miles
Pass 20 Dec 2005 62,846 miles
Fail 20 Dec 2005 62,846 miles

Offside Rear Upper Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.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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R397 JCW is a 1998 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60.7%.

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 R397 JCW, 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 R397 JCW?

You can check the full history of R397 JCW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R397 JCW registered?

R397 JCW is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 13 February 1998.

Is R397 JCW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R397 JCW shows 28 tests with a 60.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R397 JCW 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 R397 JCW. 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.