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R502 BEC

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires28 Sep 2018
Tests17 (12 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate70.6%

Mileage

174,210 mi
Last recorded174,210 miles
Recorded on29 Sep 2017
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR502 BEC
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

12 pass 5 fail
Pass 29 Sep 2017 174,210 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fail 29 Sep 2017 174,210 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 19 Sep 2016 171,690 miles
Fail 17 Sep 2016 171,690 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

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

Headlamp aim too low both (1.8)

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 14 Sep 2015 168,962 miles
Fail 14 Sep 2015 168,962 miles

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

passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1c)

Pass 27 Sep 2014 167,687 miles

fuel lines rotten but ok for test

Pass 28 Sep 2013 166,259 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar synthetic mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Trailing arm has slight play in a pin bearing (2.4.G.2)

Pass 24 May 2012 160,218 miles

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Oil leak

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 10 May 2012 160,208 miles

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

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

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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) DANGEROUS

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Oil leak

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 7 Apr 2011 153,294 miles
Fail 4 Apr 2011 153,280 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

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

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

Pass 29 Mar 2010 145,396 miles
Pass 3 Mar 2009 136,167 miles
Pass 31 Mar 2008 127,688 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2007 118,548 miles
Pass 1 Apr 2006 108,866 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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R502 BEC is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.6%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 R502 BEC, 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 R502 BEC?

You can check the full history of R502 BEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R502 BEC registered?

R502 BEC is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R502 BEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R502 BEC shows 17 tests with a 70.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R502 BEC 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 R502 BEC. 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.