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R578 URX

1997 BMW 520

Black Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires23 May 2012
Tests16 (8 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

215,604 mi
Last recorded215,604 miles
Recorded on24 May 2011
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 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

RegistrationR578 URX
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,991cc

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

8 pass 8 fail
Pass 24 May 2011 215,604 miles
Fail 24 May 2011 215,604 miles

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

Pass 21 May 2010 211,888 miles
Fail 21 May 2010 211,888 miles

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

Fail 8 Apr 2010 212,008 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

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

Nearside Rear Parking brake is not capable of being maintained in operation by direct mechanical action only (3.1.2)

Nearside Rear Stub axle has excessive vertical movement between stub axle and axle beam (2.5.A.1a)

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

Offside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

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

Nearside Front Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

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

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

rear exhaust box casing bulging exterior.

Fail 26 Mar 2009 205,854 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Offside Rear Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 26 Mar 2009 205,854 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 7 Jan 2008 195,049 miles
Pass 17 Dec 2007 194,746 miles
Fail 15 Dec 2007 194,746 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Fail 13 Apr 2007 189,573 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp insecure (1.1.C.1c)

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

Pass 13 Apr 2007 189,573 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2006 184,171 miles
Fail 5 Oct 2006 184,169 miles

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Pass 1 Jul 2005 170,377 miles
Fail 1 Jul 2005 170,377 miles

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

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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

How Reliable is the BMW 520?

Based on 1,661,806 MOT tests across 152,584 vehicles.

78.5%
Pass Rate
7,968
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
152,584
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 47,121
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 22,647
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,724
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 15,884
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 14,720
Full BMW 520 reliability report

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R578 URX is a 1997 BMW 520 in Black with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

Across all 1997 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.6% with a typical mileage of 121,946 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 520 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 47,121 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R578 URX, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 520 typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 520 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R578 URX?

You can check the full history of R578 URX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R578 URX registered?

R578 URX is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 19 December 1997.

Is R578 URX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R578 URX shows 16 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 R578 URX 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 R578 URX. 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.