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R78 AHJ

1997 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Jan 2011
Tests8 (5 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

179,906 mi
Last recorded179,906 miles
Recorded on5 Jan 2010
Typical for 1997 BMW 523121,619 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR78 AHJ
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,494cc

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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

5 pass 3 fail
Pass 5 Jan 2010 179,906 miles
Fail 4 Jan 2010 179,906 miles

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

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear Upper Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

both rear tyres on 2mm

o/s/r seat back slightly insecure

observed damage to n/s/ outer sill

slight corrosion on n/s/r brake pipe

some wear on front brake discs

Pass 15 Jan 2009 170,044 miles
Fail 9 Jan 2009 170,044 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper blade missing (8.2.2)

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

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

child seat fitted to nearside rear

front number plate cracked

offside front tyre worn on inner edge

oil leak

parking brake travel long

rear exhaust heat shield loose

slight exhaust blow and baffles loose

slight imbalance in front brakes

slight play in steering rack

steering rack gaiters perished

Pass 7 Nov 2007 158,177 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2006 136,112 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2006 135,664 miles

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

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

Offside Front Macpherson strut has excessive play in the sliding bush or gland (2.5.B.1b)

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

Pass 5 Aug 2005 115,981 miles

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in an outer ball joint (2.5.B.2a)

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

Offside Front suspension has slight play in an outer ball joint (2.5.B.2a)

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

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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R78 AHJ is a 1997 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 8 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

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 R78 AHJ, 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 R78 AHJ?

You can check the full history of R78 AHJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R78 AHJ registered?

R78 AHJ is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 2 August 1997.

Is R78 AHJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R78 AHJ shows 8 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R78 AHJ 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 R78 AHJ. 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.