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R496 JTW

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 Jul 2025
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

66,860 mi
Last recorded66,860 miles
Recorded on31 Jul 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 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

RegistrationR496 JTW
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

14 pass 8 fail
Fail 31 Jul 2025 66,860 miles

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

Offside Front Anti-lock braking system wiring excessively damaged (1.6 (d))

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view Chip (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Jul 2024 64,432 miles

Central Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Central Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 28 Jul 2023 63,062 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing + Worn On Inner Edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 24 Jul 2023 63,051 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Outer Sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing + Worn On Inner Edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 30 Aug 2017 62,246 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2016 60,939 miles

Rear both rear tyres perished.

Fail 11 Aug 2016 60,938 miles

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

Offside Front Headlamp insecure headlight damaged insde, internals not secure (1.7.3)

Rear both rear tyres perished.

Pass 25 Aug 2015 59,894 miles
Pass 20 Aug 2014 58,563 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

n/s/r tyre wearing on inner edge

Pass 5 Sep 2013 57,023 miles
Fail 4 Sep 2013 57,023 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 20 Aug 2012 54,600 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2011 51,592 miles
Fail 1 Sep 2011 51,592 miles

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

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

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

Pass 2 Sep 2010 48,457 miles

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

Fail 1 Sep 2010 48,457 miles

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 27 Aug 2009 46,372 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2008 44,100 miles

both nearside and offside rear top suspension link outer joints have slight play

Fail 2 Sep 2008 44,100 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

both nearside and offside rear top suspension link outer joints have slight play

Pass 3 Oct 2007 42,296 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2006 38,453 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2006 38,453 miles

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

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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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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R496 JTW is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

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 R496 JTW, 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 R496 JTW?

You can check the full history of R496 JTW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R496 JTW registered?

R496 JTW is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 24 October 1997.

Is R496 JTW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R496 JTW 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 R496 JTW 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 R496 JTW. 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.