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S442 MLU

1998 BMW 523

Green Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Mar 2027
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

169,038 mi
Last recorded169,038 miles
Recorded on4 Mar 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationS442 MLU
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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 4 Mar 2026 169,038 miles
Pass 4 Sep 2024 168,239 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 27 Aug 2024 168,238 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn NSR lower arm inner front bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Aug 2023 167,431 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2022 166,623 miles

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively Both front. (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively Both rear (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Sep 2021 165,736 miles

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 31 Aug 2021 165,735 miles

Nearside Rear Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 7 Sep 2020 164,521 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

under shields fitted that stop a full inspection of front to rear metal brake pipes

Fail 4 Sep 2020 164,521 miles

Offside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

under shields fitted that stop a full inspection of front to rear metal brake pipes

Pass 12 Sep 2019 163,181 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2018 161,608 miles
Fail 24 Sep 2018 161,608 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Pass 26 Sep 2017 159,697 miles

Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint Both (2.4.G.2)

Rear Wheel bearing rumbling slightly

Fail 26 Sep 2017 159,697 miles

Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint Both (2.4.G.2)

Rear Wheel bearing rumbling slightly

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 13 Sep 2016 155,180 miles
Fail 13 Sep 2016 155,180 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 2 Sep 2015 150,046 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded AT REAR OF FUEL TANK AREA (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded IN FRONT OF FUEL TANK AREA (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 15 Sep 2014 144,453 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Pass 19 Sep 2013 139,367 miles

fuel tank straps rusted

Pass 12 Sep 2012 133,774 miles
Fail 3 Sep 2012 133,757 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 21 Sep 2011 130,457 miles

rear silencer heat shield insecure; fuel tank metal strap corroded .

Pass 8 Sep 2010 126,230 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2009 121,891 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2008 115,230 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 5 Sep 2007 107,842 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2006 100,966 miles
Fail 26 Sep 2006 100,966 miles

Centre Rear Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

I Brake light LED/Light Bulb inoperative in High Level brake lamp cluster

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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S442 MLU is a 1998 BMW 523 in Green with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 S442 MLU, 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 S442 MLU?

You can check the full history of S442 MLU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S442 MLU registered?

S442 MLU is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 16 October 1998.

Is S442 MLU safe to buy?

The MOT history for S442 MLU shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S442 MLU 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 S442 MLU. 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.