CarVerify

Free Car Check

R538 LOD

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires17 Dec 2021
Tests23 (16 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate69.6%

Mileage

145,807 mi
Last recorded145,807 miles
Recorded on24 Nov 2020
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR538 LOD
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
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

16 pass 7 fail
Pass 24 Nov 2020 145,807 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

rear ends of offside and nearside outer sills becoming corroded

Fail 24 Nov 2020 145,803 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt outer ball joint (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt outer ball joint (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn outer joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play outer joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

rear ends of offside and nearside outer sills becoming corroded

Pass 4 Dec 2019 144,665 miles

Offside Front fog lamp loose

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Nail in tyre ()

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

rear outer sills becoming corroded both sides

Fail 4 Dec 2019 144,665 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Nail in tyre ()

Offside Front fog lamp loose

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

rear outer sills becoming corroded both sides

Pass 4 Dec 2018 140,275 miles

Offside Front fog lamp loose

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside dip beam on lowest line won't adjust

rear ends of both outer sills becoming corroded

Fail 4 Dec 2018 140,271 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front fog lamp loose

Offside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside dip beam on lowest line won't adjust

rear ends of both outer sills becoming corroded

Pass 5 Dec 2017 135,806 miles

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

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

Fail 4 Dec 2017 135,802 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

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

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

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

Pass 13 Dec 2016 132,033 miles
Fail 13 Dec 2016 132,033 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 15 Dec 2015 127,983 miles
Pass 3 Dec 2014 122,652 miles
Pass 27 Nov 2013 117,762 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2012 113,188 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2011 109,060 miles
Pass 6 Dec 2010 103,350 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2009 97,056 miles
Pass 1 Dec 2008 89,281 miles
Fail 1 Dec 2008 89,277 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 3 Dec 2007 83,630 miles

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

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

Fail 3 Dec 2007 83,626 miles

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

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

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

Pass 7 Dec 2006 79,285 miles

front disc;s worn edge lips

slight bind on n/s/rear brake

Pass 12 Dec 2005 74,092 miles

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

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

n/s/r hand brake effort down recommend check soon

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R538 LOD is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.6%.

Across all 1998 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.9% with a typical mileage of 117,395 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 R538 LOD, 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 28 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 R538 LOD?

You can check the full history of R538 LOD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R538 LOD registered?

R538 LOD is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R538 LOD safe to buy?

The MOT history for R538 LOD shows 23 tests with a 69.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R538 LOD 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 R538 LOD. 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.