CarVerify

Free Car Check

S138 SWC

1997 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires31 Oct 2026
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

96,537 mi
Last recorded96,537 miles
Recorded on31 Oct 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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationS138 SWC
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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 31 Oct 2025 96,537 miles

Rear Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Fail 23 Oct 2025 96,535 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Rear Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Oct 2024 96,272 miles

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

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

Pass 16 Oct 2023 96,042 miles

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

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

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

Pass 12 Oct 2022

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Oct 2021 95,070 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 27 Oct 2020 94,633 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2019 93,854 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2018 92,921 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2017 92,256 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 27 Oct 2016 91,628 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 25 Oct 2016 91,608 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 26 Oct 2015 90,694 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Fail 21 Oct 2015 90,673 miles

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 14 Oct 2014 90,063 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2013 89,006 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2012 87,882 miles
Pass 16 Aug 2011 83,403 miles

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

Pass 21 Jul 2010 76,967 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Fail 15 Jul 2010 76,911 miles

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

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 22 Jul 2009 68,343 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Tie bar/rod has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 6 Aug 2008 62,767 miles
Fail 5 Aug 2008 62,744 miles

Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

Pass 21 Aug 2007 54,979 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

offside front tyre wearing thin on inside

Pass 25 Jul 2006 54,435 miles
Pass 28 Jul 2005 51,717 miles

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

S138 SWC is a 1997 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 S138 SWC, 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 S138 SWC?

You can check the full history of S138 SWC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S138 SWC registered?

S138 SWC is a 1997 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is S138 SWC safe to buy?

The MOT history for S138 SWC shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S138 SWC 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 S138 SWC. 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.