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S542 GWL

1998 BMW 523

Blue Petrol 2494cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Jul 2017
Tests16 (12 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

231,707 mi
Last recorded231,707 miles
Recorded on19 Jul 2016
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

RegistrationS542 GWL
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

12 pass 4 fail
Pass 19 Jul 2016 231,707 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 25 Jun 2015 228,302 miles

Oil leak

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

Fail 24 Jun 2015 228,300 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a) DANGEROUS

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a) DANGEROUS

Oil leak

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

Pass 23 Jun 2014 222,577 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

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

Pass 24 Jun 2013 216,789 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Fail 24 Jun 2013 216,786 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) obviously incorrectly positioned (1.1.A.3a)

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 23 Jun 2012 210,680 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Tie bar/rod has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Pass 22 Jun 2011 204,203 miles

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

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

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

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

advise front(both sides) brake discs worn

advise rear(both sides)brake discs worn

advised nearside front headlamps have slightly reduced light output beam image unaffected

advised offside front headlamps have slightly reduced light output beam image unaffected

Pass 12 Jun 2010 197,875 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2009 190,200 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2008 183,075 miles
Fail 26 Jun 2008 183,075 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Pass 18 Jun 2007 173,946 miles

see first vt32

Fail 14 Jun 2007 173,946 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

both no,plates are deteriorated

Pass 18 Sep 2006 167,057 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2005 156,741 miles

some wear in both rear anti-roll bar links

two childseats fitted to both rear outer seatbelts

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.

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S542 GWL is a 1998 BMW 523 in Blue with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 S542 GWL, 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 S542 GWL?

You can check the full history of S542 GWL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S542 GWL registered?

S542 GWL is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 14 October 1998.

Is S542 GWL safe to buy?

The MOT history for S542 GWL shows 16 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S542 GWL 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 S542 GWL. 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.