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R640 JCW

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires2 Nov 2014
Tests16 (9 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate56.3%

Mileage

184,940 mi
Last recorded184,940 miles
Recorded on25 Oct 2013
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR640 JCW
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

9 pass 7 fail
Pass 25 Oct 2013 184,940 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 22 Oct 2012 171,735 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 26 Oct 2011 159,252 miles
Fail 18 Oct 2011 158,935 miles

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

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

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

nearside and offside front wiper blades split

Pass 13 Oct 2010 145,950 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2010 145,487 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 2 Nov 2009 131,191 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2009 130,873 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 3 Nov 2008 120,463 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2008 120,459 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

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

Pass 30 Oct 2007 113,787 miles

slight play in rear suspension both sides, unable to distinguish exact cause of movement

Fail 24 Oct 2007 113,422 miles

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

Offside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

slight play in rear suspension both sides, unable to distinguish exact cause of movement

Pass 31 Oct 2006 105,860 miles
Fail 30 Oct 2006 105,857 miles

Nearside Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Offside Outer Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

nearside and offside front tyres outer edges worn

Pass 27 Oct 2005 96,875 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2005 96,875 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.6.D3)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.6.D2)

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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R640 JCW is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 56.3%.

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 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 R640 JCW, 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 R640 JCW?

You can check the full history of R640 JCW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R640 JCW registered?

R640 JCW is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 16 January 1998.

Is R640 JCW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R640 JCW shows 16 tests with a 56.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R640 JCW 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 R640 JCW. 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.