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R846 LFJ

1997 BMW 523

Black Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Dec 2026
Tests17 (13 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate76.5%

Mileage

71,007 mi
Last recorded71,007 miles
Recorded on18 Dec 2025
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

RegistrationR846 LFJ
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

13 pass 4 fail
Pass 18 Dec 2025 71,007 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 23 Aug 2024 70,697 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Fail 21 Aug 2024 70,697 miles

Front Brake pad(s) worn down to wear indicator (1.1.13 (a) (i))

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 30 Jul 2022 69,941 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 30 Mar 2021 69,665 miles

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Fail 30 Mar 2021 69,665 miles

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 21 Aug 2019 68,072 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 16 Aug 2019 68,072 miles

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

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 26 Apr 2018 66,409 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 31 Dec 2016 64,923 miles

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

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)

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

Pass 12 Nov 2015 63,375 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2014 62,190 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2014 62,190 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 7 Oct 2011 60,146 miles
Pass 7 May 2009 59,249 miles

Both rear tyre treads low

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

NSR tyre wall cut

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

Rear number plate water marked

Pass 21 Feb 2008 58,116 miles

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

NSR Side wall damaged

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

Rear number plate water marked

Pass 20 Nov 2006 56,957 miles

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

air bag light staying on.

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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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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R846 LFJ is a 1997 BMW 523 in Black with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.5%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 R846 LFJ, 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 R846 LFJ?

You can check the full history of R846 LFJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R846 LFJ registered?

R846 LFJ is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 11 November 1997.

Is R846 LFJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R846 LFJ shows 17 tests with a 76.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R846 LFJ 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 R846 LFJ. 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.