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R397 WLC

1998 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 Jul 2012
Tests10 (6 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

178,617 mi
Last recorded178,617 miles
Recorded on19 Jul 2011
Typical for 1998 BMW 520121,173 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR397 WLC
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1998
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,991cc

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

6 pass 4 fail
Pass 19 Jul 2011 178,617 miles
Fail 19 Jul 2011 178,617 miles

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

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

corosion on fuel pipes

corosion onsprings

nearside front seat belt started to fray

offside rear tyre started to wear

slight play on nearside rear link

Pass 20 Jul 2010 169,821 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2010 169,821 miles

Nearside Inner Front Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Outer Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

corosion on springs

Pass 7 Jul 2009 162,536 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2009 162,536 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

both side front outter arms bush started to wear

brake started to corrode rest of them

oil leak

Pass 13 Jun 2008 152,715 miles

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

Fail 3 Jun 2008 152,706 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim aimed so that it dazzles other road users (1.8.A.1a)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 27 Jun 2007 140,587 miles

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

all brake pipes started to corrrode

both side rear bottom bushs has a slight play

Pass 13 Jun 2006 125,681 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 520?

Based on 1,661,806 MOT tests across 152,584 vehicles.

78.5%
Pass Rate
7,968
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
152,584
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 47,121
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 22,647
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,724
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 15,884
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 14,720
Full BMW 520 reliability report

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R397 WLC is a 1998 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 10 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1998 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.2% with a typical mileage of 121,173 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 520 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 47,121 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R397 WLC, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 520 typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 520 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R397 WLC?

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

What year was R397 WLC registered?

R397 WLC is a 1998 BMW 520, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R397 WLC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R397 WLC shows 10 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R397 WLC 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 WLC. 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.