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R481 SVJ

1997 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires28 May 2015
Tests17 (9 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate52.9%

Mileage

150,650 mi
Last recorded150,650 miles
Recorded on21 May 2014
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 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

RegistrationR481 SVJ
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
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

9 pass 8 fail
Pass 21 May 2014 150,650 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 29 May 2013 143,396 miles

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

Fail 28 May 2013 143,395 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

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

n/s/f backplate catching

slight bind on rear brakes

Fail 24 Apr 2013 143,362 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter insecure (2.2.D.2d)

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

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

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

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Pass 17 Jul 2012 141,570 miles

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

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

Fail 13 Jul 2012 141,555 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 16 Jun 2011 139,898 miles

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 30 Jun 2010 137,036 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2010 137,020 miles

Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

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

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

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

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Fail 1 Jun 2010 137,020 miles

Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

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

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

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

Rear Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Pass 1 Jun 2009 130,761 miles

air bag light on

Fail 26 May 2009 130,742 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

air bag light on

Pass 20 May 2008 127,830 miles
Fail 19 May 2008 127,830 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

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

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Pass 15 May 2007 123,078 miles

Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Fail 15 May 2007 123,078 miles

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

Pass 18 May 2006 118,279 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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R481 SVJ is a 1997 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 52.9%.

Across all 1997 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.6% with a typical mileage of 121,946 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 R481 SVJ, 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 29 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 R481 SVJ?

You can check the full history of R481 SVJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R481 SVJ registered?

R481 SVJ is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 22 December 1997.

Is R481 SVJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R481 SVJ shows 17 tests with a 52.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R481 SVJ 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 R481 SVJ. 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.