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R508 HBA

1997 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Mar 2027
Tests29 (21 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate72.4%

Mileage

207,097 mi
Last recorded207,097 miles
Recorded on25 Feb 2026
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

RegistrationR508 HBA
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
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

21 pass 8 fail
Pass 25 Feb 2026 207,097 miles
Fail 18 Feb 2026 207,097 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken DANGEROUS- SPRING RESTING AGAINST THE TYRE (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer sill at rear (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer sill at rear (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 4 Mar 2025 206,287 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 4 Mar 2025 206,287 miles

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

Pass 27 Feb 2024 203,949 miles
Pass 10 Jan 2023 200,856 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2022 197,661 miles

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

both front shock absorbers are weak.

Fail 31 Jan 2022 197,661 miles

Offside Rear Lower Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Front Coil spring missing and directional control affected (5.3.1 (c) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

both front shock absorbers are weak.

Pass 29 Dec 2020 195,736 miles
Pass 21 Oct 2019 195,354 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Sep 2018 195,197 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2017 192,848 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2016 190,153 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 14 Jul 2016 190,153 miles

Fuel pipe leaking (7.2.3)

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

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

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rears front section (3.6.B.2c)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Pass 23 Jul 2015 188,305 miles

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

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

Pass 15 Aug 2014 185,201 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2014 185,201 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Pass 1 Oct 2013 184,813 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

fuel pipes corroded

Pass 10 Sep 2012 181,550 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Fail 7 Sep 2012 181,498 miles

Nearside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

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

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

Offside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 15 Sep 2011 176,406 miles
Pass 30 Dec 2010 170,012 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2010 169,705 miles
Fail 18 Jan 2010 169,705 miles

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

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

Offside Inner Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

Pass 1 May 2009 167,203 miles

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 30 Apr 2008 165,887 miles
Fail 29 Apr 2008 165,887 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

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

Pass 28 Dec 2007 165,732 miles
Pass 23 Dec 2006 150,670 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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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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R508 HBA is a 1997 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.4%.

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 R508 HBA, 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 R508 HBA?

You can check the full history of R508 HBA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R508 HBA registered?

R508 HBA is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 15 August 1997.

Is R508 HBA safe to buy?

The MOT history for R508 HBA shows 29 tests with a 72.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R508 HBA 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 R508 HBA. 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.