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S490 MJM

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires25 Mar 2016
Tests16 (9 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate56.3%

Mileage

123,192 mi
Last recorded123,192 miles
Recorded on12 Mar 2015
Typical for 1998 BMW 523117,395 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationS490 MJM
MakeBMW
Model523
Year1998
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

9 pass 7 fail
Pass 12 Mar 2015 123,192 miles

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 12 Mar 2015 123,192 miles

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Trailer electrical socket (13 pin) not operating the trailer lamps as intended (1.9.4)

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 10 Mar 2014 116,722 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

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

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

drivers door check strap loose

front discs slightly worn

nearside front foglight not working

offside outer sill corroded

oil leak from rocker cover

slight bind at offside rear brake

Fail 6 Mar 2014 116,722 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Rear registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

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

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

drivers door check strap loose

front discs slightly worn

nearside front foglight not working

offside outer sill corroded

oil leak from rocker cover

slight bind at offside rear brake

Pass 26 Mar 2013 111,706 miles

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

Fail 7 Mar 2013 111,705 miles

Nearside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Nearside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Headlamp excessively damaged so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

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

Pass 24 Mar 2012 107,589 miles

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

Pass 17 Mar 2011 104,028 miles

Coolant leak

FRONT TO REAR FUEL PIPES ARE CORRODED

NEARSIDE FRONT OUTER ANTI ROLL BAR IS WORN

Fail 15 Mar 2011 104,028 miles

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

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Coolant leak

FRONT TO REAR FUEL PIPES ARE CORRODED

NEARSIDE FRONT OUTER ANTI ROLL BAR IS WORN

Pass 19 Mar 2010 100,753 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Fail 19 Mar 2010 100,753 miles

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

Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Pass 24 Mar 2009 98,187 miles

offside rear tyre has cuts but not deep enough to reach ply or cords

Fail 12 Mar 2009 98,160 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

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

offside rear tyre has cuts but not deep enough to reach ply or cords

Pass 19 Feb 2008 92,346 miles
Fail 11 Feb 2008 92,330 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Pass 6 Jul 2006 88,134 miles

vehicle service due soon lights on at dash

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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S490 MJM is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 56.3%.

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 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 S490 MJM, 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 S490 MJM?

You can check the full history of S490 MJM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S490 MJM registered?

S490 MJM is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 2 October 1998.

Is S490 MJM safe to buy?

The MOT history for S490 MJM shows 16 tests with a 56.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S490 MJM 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 S490 MJM. 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.