CarVerify

Free Car Check

S493 SBJ

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Aug 2027
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

64,789 mi
Last recorded64,789 miles
Recorded on4 Aug 2026
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationS493 SBJ
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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 4 Aug 2026 64,789 miles

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

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

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

Pass 28 Jul 2025 64,290 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 29 Jul 2024 63,641 miles

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

Nearside Front Nail in tyre

Pass 27 Jul 2023 63,009 miles

Nearside Front Nail in tyre

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

Pass 24 Aug 2022 62,961 miles
Pass 11 May 2022 62,184 miles
Fail 11 May 2022 62,184 miles

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 4 Jul 2019 61,860 miles

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

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

Fail 4 Jul 2019 61,860 miles

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

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

Pass 3 Jul 2018 60,653 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2017 59,556 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2016 59,083 miles

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

Fail 6 Jul 2016 59,083 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 9 Jul 2015 58,421 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 9 Jul 2015 58,421 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 9 Jul 2014 58,088 miles

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

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

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 5 Jul 2013 57,414 miles

front brake discs corroded

front brake pads low

front number plate cracked

Fail 5 Jul 2013 57,414 miles

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

front brake discs corroded

front brake pads low

front number plate cracked

Pass 3 Jul 2012 56,926 miles

front and rear tyres starting to perish

front number plate cracked

Fail 3 Jul 2012 56,926 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

front and rear tyres starting to perish

front number plate cracked

Pass 31 May 2011 55,803 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2010 55,389 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2009 55,008 miles
Fail 15 Jul 2009 55,005 miles

Nearside Front All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

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

Pass 15 Jul 2008 54,180 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2007 53,342 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2007 53,342 miles

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

Pass 14 Jul 2006 50,207 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

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

S493 SBJ is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver 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 S493 SBJ, 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 S493 SBJ?

You can check the full history of S493 SBJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S493 SBJ registered?

S493 SBJ is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 14 August 1998.

Is S493 SBJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for S493 SBJ 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 S493 SBJ 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 S493 SBJ. 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.