MOT Status
ExpiredMileage
154,202 miAbove average mileage for this year
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Vehicle Details
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50+ data pointsMOT History
Nearside Front Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)
Nearside Front Lower 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 Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)
Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)
Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated 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 Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)
Offside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)
Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated 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)
Items removed from driver's view prior to test
Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)
Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)
Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)
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)
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)
Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)
Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)
Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)
Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)
Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)
Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)
Nearside Brake cable has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)
Nearside Outer Rear Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)
Offside Brake cable has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)
Offside Front Body has a sharp edge caused by damage (6.1.C.1)
Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2) DANGEROUS
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) DANGEROUS
Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2) DANGEROUS
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1) DANGEROUS
Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS
Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)
Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)
Nearside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)
Nearside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)
Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)
Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)
Nearside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)
Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
clutch pedal rubber missing
n/s/f fog light insecure
o/s/f bumper damaged / insecure
o/s/f fog light glass cracked
Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)
Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)
Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)
Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)
Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
clutch pedal rubber missing
n/s/f fog light insecure
o/s/f bumper damaged / insecure
o/s/f fog light glass cracked
Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)
Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS
Nearside Front position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)
Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)
Offside Front Panhard rod rubber mounting bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)
Offside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)
Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)
Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)
How Reliable is the BMW 523?
Based on 254,660 MOT tests across 20,979 vehicles.
Top MOT Failure Points
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.
S185 SEL is a 1998 BMW 523 in Red with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 46.7%.
Across all 1998 BMW 523 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.9% with a typical mileage of 117,395 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 S185 SEL, 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 28 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 S185 SEL?
You can check the full history of S185 SEL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.
What year was S185 SEL registered?
S185 SEL is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 1 January 1998.
Is S185 SEL safe to buy?
The MOT history for S185 SEL shows 15 tests with a 46.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.
Does S185 SEL 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 S185 SEL. 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.