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R725 NDS

1997 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Mar 2027
Tests31 (20 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate64.5%

Mileage

119,566 mi
Last recorded119,566 miles
Recorded on17 Mar 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR725 NDS
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

20 pass 11 fail
Pass 17 Mar 2026 119,566 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2026 119,437 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Headlamp levelling device inoperative Both (4.1.5 (a))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play Both (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Front Outer Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Both (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Outer Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Both (5.2.3 (e))

Front Service brake binding but not excessively Both (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Inner Seal Corroded

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Windscreen wiper blade defective Both (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 13 Mar 2025 117,510 miles

Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play both side (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear exhaust shield is loose rear box

Fail 5 Mar 2025 117,509 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play both side (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear exhaust shield is loose rear box

Pass 23 Dec 2023 110,631 miles

Anti-lock braking system component slightly damaged (1.6 (e))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 23 Dec 2023 110,631 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 3 Oct 2022 109,287 miles
Fail 3 Oct 2022 109,287 miles

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 6 Oct 2021 107,131 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2020 104,741 miles

Central Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 17 Oct 2019 101,974 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

exhaust heat shield slightly insecure

Fail 16 Oct 2019 101,971 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

exhaust heat shield slightly insecure

Pass 29 Oct 2018 97,992 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2017 93,436 miles
Fail 21 Nov 2017 93,436 miles

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

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

Pass 28 Oct 2016 89,305 miles

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

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

Pass 5 Nov 2015 86,302 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 3 Nov 2015

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm 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)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 30 Oct 2014

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Fail 31 Oct 2013 80,778 miles

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 31 Oct 2013 80,778 miles

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 31 Oct 2012 78,296 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2012 78,296 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)

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)

Pass 25 Oct 2011 76,941 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2010
Fail 28 Oct 2010

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

Pass 15 Oct 2009 70,387 miles
Pass 14 Oct 2008 66,180 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2007 63,162 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2006 59,054 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Fail 17 Oct 2006 59,054 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

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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R725 NDS is a 1997 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.5%.

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 R725 NDS, 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 R725 NDS?

You can check the full history of R725 NDS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R725 NDS registered?

R725 NDS is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R725 NDS safe to buy?

The MOT history for R725 NDS shows 31 tests with a 64.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R725 NDS 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 R725 NDS. 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.