CarVerify

Free Car Check

R657 LFJ

1997 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires27 Apr 2016
Tests18 (10 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate55.6%

Mileage

168,159 mi
Last recorded168,159 miles
Recorded on22 Apr 2015
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 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

RegistrationR657 LFJ
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

10 pass 8 fail
Pass 22 Apr 2015 168,159 miles

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

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

Non obligatory mirror damaged

Oil leak

Fail 22 Apr 2015 168,159 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Nearside Front 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 Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

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

Non obligatory mirror damaged

Oil leak

Pass 28 Apr 2014 167,132 miles

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

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

nearside mirror damaged

Fail 23 Apr 2014 167,131 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Fuel cap/sealing device missing (7.2.4a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Front Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

nearside mirror damaged

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

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

Pass 17 Apr 2013 166,229 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

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

Fail 17 Apr 2013 166,229 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

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

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

Pass 19 Apr 2012 164,977 miles

front tyres worn on inner edges

nearside front tyre sidewall perished and split

offside front tyre sidewall perished and split

Fail 18 Apr 2012 164,975 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Offside Front 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 Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

front tyres worn on inner edges

nearside front tyre sidewall perished and split

nearside rear tyre sidewall perished and split

offside front tyre sidewall perished and split

Pass 20 Apr 2011 163,937 miles

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

nearside front tyre perished

nearside rear tyre perished and split

Pass 14 Apr 2010 162,891 miles

wipers smeary

Fail 13 Apr 2010 162,891 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

wipers smeary

Pass 15 Apr 2009 160,360 miles

Nearside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Offside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

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

front tyres perished and split

rear tyres perished

Pass 18 Apr 2008 157,620 miles

n/s/r tyre close to legal limit.

oil leak.

Fail 16 Apr 2008 157,620 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

n/s/r tyre close to legal limit.

oil leak.

Pass 22 May 2007 152,854 miles
Fail 22 May 2007 152,849 miles

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

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

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

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Fail 11 Aug 2006 133,876 miles

Nearside Front Brake lining(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Inner Rear Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

Offside Front Brake lining(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

front bumper damaged N/S/F

Pass 11 Aug 2006 133,876 miles

Nearside Front Brake lining(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Brake lining(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

front bumper damaged N/S/F

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

R657 LFJ is a 1997 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.6%.

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 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 R657 LFJ, 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 R657 LFJ?

You can check the full history of R657 LFJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R657 LFJ registered?

R657 LFJ is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 14 August 1997.

Is R657 LFJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R657 LFJ shows 18 tests with a 55.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R657 LFJ 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 R657 LFJ. 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.