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R701 CSU

1998 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Mar 2012
Tests11 (6 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate54.5%

Mileage

168,696 mi
Last recorded168,696 miles
Recorded on19 Mar 2011
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

RegistrationR701 CSU
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourBlue
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

6 pass 5 fail
Pass 19 Mar 2011 168,696 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Oil leak

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

Rear brake discs in poor condition

Fail 2 Mar 2011 168,604 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Nearside Rear Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

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

Oil leak

steering rack wet with oil

Pass 26 Feb 2010 155,138 miles
Fail 16 Feb 2010 154,575 miles

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

Driver's door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 20 Feb 2009 141,938 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Fail 10 Feb 2009 141,603 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Pass 16 Jan 2008 132,393 miles

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Rear rear brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.5b)

Fail 15 Jan 2008 132,393 miles

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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

Rear rear brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.5b)

Pass 9 Jan 2007 117,538 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2007 117,449 miles

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

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

Pass 9 Jan 2006 103,214 miles

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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R701 CSU is a 1998 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 11 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 54.5%.

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 R701 CSU, 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 R701 CSU?

You can check the full history of R701 CSU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R701 CSU registered?

R701 CSU is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 19 January 1998.

Is R701 CSU safe to buy?

The MOT history for R701 CSU shows 11 tests with a 54.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R701 CSU 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 R701 CSU. 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.