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R473 VRX

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Oct 2026
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

134,118 mi
Last recorded134,118 miles
Recorded on2 Oct 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR473 VRX
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

14 pass 8 fail
Pass 2 Oct 2025 134,118 miles

Offside Rear Inner / Outer sill has corrosion

Fail 2 Oct 2025 134,118 miles

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

Offside Rear Inner / Outer sill has corrosion

Pass 21 Oct 2024 132,554 miles

Nearside Headlamp lens has slight water damage

Fail 21 Oct 2024 132,554 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp lens has slight water damage

Signs of a oil leak on the undertray

Pass 2 Oct 2023 130,077 miles

Offside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

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

Fail 2 Oct 2023 130,077 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

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

Pass 28 Oct 2022 121,953 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension airbag perished

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension airbag perished

Pass 1 Dec 2021 108,723 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension airbag perished

Offside Rear Suspension airbag perished

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Fail 19 Nov 2021 108,723 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn Inner (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Suspension airbag perished

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

Offside Rear Suspension airbag perished

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Pass 1 Dec 2020 100,981 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 26 Nov 2020 100,981 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 25 May 2019 81,116 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 25 May 2019 81,116 miles

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage insecurely attached (5.3.3 (a) (i))

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))

Pass 6 Jun 2018 68,468 miles
Fail 4 Jun 2018 68,451 miles

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

Pass 31 Jul 2013 66,462 miles
Fail 29 Jul 2013 66,450 miles

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

Pass 18 Jul 2012 64,520 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2011 63,639 miles
Pass 7 May 2009 63,268 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2008 63,207 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2007 62,274 miles

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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R473 VRX 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 63.6%.

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 R473 VRX, 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 R473 VRX?

You can check the full history of R473 VRX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R473 VRX registered?

R473 VRX is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R473 VRX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R473 VRX shows 22 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R473 VRX 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 R473 VRX. 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.