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S275 VAO

1998 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Nov 2026
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

112,632 mi
Last recorded112,632 miles
Recorded on21 Nov 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 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

RegistrationS275 VAO
MakeBMW
Model523
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

18 pass 5 fail
Pass 21 Nov 2025 112,632 miles

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

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

Rear Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced both sides sills (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Pass 16 Mar 2024 112,458 miles

Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output Both (4.1.4 (b))

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

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

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

Sill covers fitted not allowing full inspection of inner sills

Pass 20 Mar 2023 106,765 miles

Inner sill covers fitted, unable to check full condition of inner sills.

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Pass 25 Mar 2022 104,649 miles

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

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

sill covers fitted unable to check full condition of inner sills

Fail 21 Mar 2022 104,633 miles

Nearside Brake pipe excessively corroded main (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

sill covers fitted unable to check full condition of inner sills

Pass 19 Mar 2021 101,989 miles

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

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

Pass 25 Feb 2020 98,790 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Main pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension arm ball joint has slight play Rear most arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Fail 24 Feb 2020 98,790 miles

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

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

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively wiper split (3.4 (b) (ii))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Main pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension arm ball joint has slight play Rear most arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 23 Mar 2019 95,382 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play upper (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Feb 2018 88,170 miles
Pass 7 Feb 2017 75,097 miles
Fail 7 Feb 2017 75,097 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 2 Feb 2016 63,397 miles
Fail 2 Feb 2016 63,397 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover missing (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 7 Feb 2015 51,665 miles
Fail 4 Feb 2015 51,665 miles

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

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

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

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

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

o/s/f tyre inner edge scrubbing

Pass 11 Feb 2014 38,673 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 5 Feb 2013 28,498 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2010 28,176 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2009 26,301 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 16 Jul 2008 23,988 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2007 21,898 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2006 19,203 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

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S275 VAO is a 1998 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

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 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 S275 VAO, 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 S275 VAO?

You can check the full history of S275 VAO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S275 VAO registered?

S275 VAO is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is S275 VAO safe to buy?

The MOT history for S275 VAO shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S275 VAO 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 S275 VAO. 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.