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R490 CGJ

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Jul 2011
Tests8 (4 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

178,010 mi
Last recorded178,010 miles
Recorded on9 Jul 2010
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR490 CGJ
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 4 fail
Pass 9 Jul 2010 178,010 miles

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

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

Fail 29 Jun 2010 178,006 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 7 Jan 2009 153,945 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2009 153,935 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Rear Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is broken (3.1.5)

Fail 6 Aug 2008 148,558 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate (3.4.1b)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is broken (3.1.5)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Pass 11 Jul 2007 131,334 miles
Fail 9 Jul 2007 131,334 miles

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

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

Pass 14 Jun 2006 122,164 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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R490 CGJ is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 8 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 R490 CGJ, 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 R490 CGJ?

You can check the full history of R490 CGJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R490 CGJ registered?

R490 CGJ is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R490 CGJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R490 CGJ shows 8 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R490 CGJ 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 R490 CGJ. 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.