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S38 AJW

1998 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires25 Oct 2015
Tests15 (9 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

160,373 mi
Last recorded160,373 miles
Recorded on26 Oct 2014
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationS38 AJW
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
ColourBlue
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

9 pass 6 fail
Pass 26 Oct 2014 160,373 miles
Pass 20 Jun 2013 150,034 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

rear tyres badly out of shape inner edges

Fail 20 Jun 2013 150,029 miles

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

Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

rear tyres badly out of shape inner edges

Pass 5 Apr 2012 143,642 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

cat breaking up

Fail 5 Apr 2012 143,642 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

cat breaking up

Pass 15 Apr 2011 136,498 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

slight play in os tie rod

Fail 12 Apr 2011 136,488 miles

Nearside Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

slight play in os tie rod

Pass 13 Apr 2010 128,437 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Fail 13 Apr 2010 128,437 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

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

Pass 9 Apr 2009 121,552 miles
Fail 25 Jan 2008 110,825 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 25 Jan 2008 110,825 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2007 97,627 miles

o/s front to rear brake pipes corroded to side of fuel tank and to o/s and n/s flexi brake hoses

Pass 25 Jan 2006 84,989 miles

o/s rear x2 brake pipes corroded

Fail 16 Jan 2006 84,707 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

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

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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S38 AJW is a 1998 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

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 S38 AJW, 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 S38 AJW?

You can check the full history of S38 AJW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S38 AJW registered?

S38 AJW is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 13 August 1998.

Is S38 AJW safe to buy?

The MOT history for S38 AJW shows 15 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S38 AJW 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 S38 AJW. 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.