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R78 CBO

1998 BMW 520

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Nov 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

138,714 mi
Last recorded138,714 miles
Recorded on4 Nov 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 520121,173 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR78 CBO
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1998
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 4 fail
Pass 4 Nov 2025 138,714 miles

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 11 Sep 2025 138,689 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced OUTER SILL (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt FRONT ARM (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced OUTER SILL (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt FRONT ARM (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt REAR ARM (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material FRONT TO REAR AT REAR CORROSION (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 22 Aug 2024 137,713 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 23 Aug 2023 136,053 miles

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

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Pass 17 Aug 2022 132,770 miles

Central Rear fuel tank straps deteriorated rust advise

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

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

Pass 24 Aug 2021 130,327 miles

Central Rear fuel tank straps deteriorated rusted

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

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

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

Pass 20 Aug 2020 128,880 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2019 126,991 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2018 124,354 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2018 124,354 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 14 Aug 2017 121,033 miles

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

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

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

Pass 22 Aug 2016 117,166 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear handbrake has slight restricted movement

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

Pass 25 Aug 2015 114,487 miles

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

brake pad warning light on pads are ok

Fail 13 Aug 2015 114,487 miles

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

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

brake pad warning light on pads are ok

Pass 11 Aug 2014 111,317 miles

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

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

Pass 13 Aug 2013 108,744 miles

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 20 Aug 2012 105,003 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 15 Aug 2011 98,234 miles

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

front/ discs/ corroded/ on/ inside

Pass 30 Jul 2010 91,832 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Mar 2009 83,389 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2009 83,389 miles

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 5 Feb 2008 76,562 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2007 70,285 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2006 65,962 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 520?

Based on 1,661,806 MOT tests across 152,584 vehicles.

78.5%
Pass Rate
7,968
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
152,584
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 47,121
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 22,647
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,724
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 15,884
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 14,720
Full BMW 520 reliability report

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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.

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R78 CBO is a 1998 BMW 520 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

Across all 1998 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 66.2% with a typical mileage of 121,173 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 520 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 47,121 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R78 CBO, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 520 typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 28 years old, this BMW 520 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R78 CBO?

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

What year was R78 CBO registered?

R78 CBO is a 1998 BMW 520, first registered on 25 February 1998.

Is R78 CBO safe to buy?

The MOT history for R78 CBO shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R78 CBO 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 CBO. 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.