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R85 SRU

1997 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires13 Mar 2015
Tests13 (8 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate61.5%

Mileage

94,459 mi
Last recorded94,459 miles
Recorded on14 Mar 2014
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

RegistrationR85 SRU
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

8 pass 5 fail
Pass 14 Mar 2014 94,459 miles
Fail 7 Mar 2014 94,459 miles

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 5 Nov 2012 88,053 miles

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 10 Nov 2011 82,851 miles

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

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

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

Fail 9 Nov 2011 82,846 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Fail 26 Oct 2011 82,842 miles

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

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

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

air bag light on dash

battery light on dash

rear exhaust heat shield insecure

Pass 12 Jul 2010 73,516 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2010 73,516 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Airbag light on through out test

Battery light on through out test

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

N/S/F foglamp lense cracked

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)

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

Rear exhaust heat shield loose

Pass 3 Jul 2009 65,665 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2009 64,665 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Pass 27 Jun 2008 54,926 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

all tyres getting low on tread

Pass 28 Jun 2007 50,317 miles

chips in windscreen

Pass 29 Jun 2006 45,669 miles

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

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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R85 SRU is a 1997 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 13 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.5%.

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 R85 SRU, 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 R85 SRU?

You can check the full history of R85 SRU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R85 SRU registered?

R85 SRU is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R85 SRU safe to buy?

The MOT history for R85 SRU shows 13 tests with a 61.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R85 SRU 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 R85 SRU. 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.