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R690 JTE

1997 BMW 525

Red Diesel 2498cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Aug 2026
Tests32 (19 pass, 13 fail)
Pass rate59.4%

Mileage

221,998 mi
Last recorded221,998 miles
Recorded on22 Aug 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 525141,402 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR690 JTE
MakeBMW
Model525
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typeDiesel
Engine2,498cc

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

19 pass 13 fail
Pass 22 Aug 2025 221,998 miles

Front Anti-roll bar ball joint has slight play BOTH SIDES (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 24 Aug 2024 219,043 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2023 218,343 miles
Fail 13 Jun 2023 218,343 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 9 Jun 2022 217,243 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill Near Jacking point (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill Near Jacking Point (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 9 Jun 2022 217,243 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill Near Jacking point (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill Near Jacking Point (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid Pipe come off (3.5 (a))

Pass 16 Jun 2021 216,331 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 16 Jun 2021 216,331 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Tyre(s) of different sizes are fitted on the same axle. (5.2.3 (b))

Pass 9 Jul 2020 216,312 miles
Fail 9 Jul 2020 216,312 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 11 Jul 2019 215,338 miles

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Fail 10 Jul 2019 215,336 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 9 Jul 2018 213,569 miles

all brake pips been greased up

Fail 3 Jul 2018 213,560 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

all brake pips been greased up

Pass 19 Jul 2017 211,309 miles

Fuel pipe slightly chafed (7.2.2)

Offside Front coil spring corroding

Offside Rear coil spring corroding

brake pipes greased

oil leak

Fail 18 Jul 2017 211,301 miles

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

Fuel pipe slightly chafed (7.2.2)

Offside Front coil spring corroding

Offside Rear coil spring corroding

brake pipes greased

oil leak

Pass 29 Jun 2016 208,237 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

brake pipes been greased

Pass 21 Jul 2015 204,887 miles
Pass 9 Jul 2014 200,137 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2014 200,137 miles

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

Pass 25 Jul 2013 193,947 miles

O/S/F brakepipe slightly corroded

oil leak

Fail 16 Jul 2013 193,947 miles

Nearside 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)

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

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)

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

O/S/F brakepipe slightly corroded

oil leak

Pass 23 Jul 2012 188,169 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2011 180,884 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

n/s/f and o/s/r upper drop link rubbers spilt

rear number plate has black marks

Fail 4 Jul 2011 180,884 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

n/s/f and o/s/r upper drop link rubbers spilt

rear number plate has black marks

Pass 20 Jul 2010 175,927 miles
Fail 19 Jul 2010 175,925 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 3 Feb 2009 163,340 miles
Fail 1 Dec 2008 163,333 miles

Brake warning device not working correctly (3.3.D.3a)

Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 11 May 2007 156,097 miles
Fail 3 May 2007 156,062 miles

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

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

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

Pass 27 Apr 2006 147,833 miles

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

How Reliable is the BMW 525?

Based on 724,963 MOT tests across 56,965 vehicles.

74.4%
Pass Rate
7,259
Miles/Year
37
Year Lifespan
56,965
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 33,171
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 17,448
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,227
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 10,065
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 9,710
Full BMW 525 reliability report

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R690 JTE is a 1997 BMW 525 in Red with a 2,498cc diesel engine. This vehicle has been through 32 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 59.4%.

Across all 1997 BMW 525 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.3% with a typical mileage of 141,402 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 525 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 33,171 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R690 JTE, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 525 typically stays on UK roads for around 37 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 525 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R690 JTE?

You can check the full history of R690 JTE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R690 JTE registered?

R690 JTE is a 1997 BMW 525, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R690 JTE safe to buy?

The MOT history for R690 JTE shows 32 tests with a 59.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R690 JTE 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 R690 JTE. 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.