CarVerify

Free Car Check

S744 FEC

1998 BMW 523

Silver Petrol 2494cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 Mar 2026
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

97,375 mi
Last recorded97,375 miles
Recorded on20 Mar 2025
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

RegistrationS744 FEC
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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 20 Mar 2025 97,375 miles

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 17 Mar 2025 97,347 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 20 Mar 2024 90,069 miles
Fail 14 Mar 2024 90,010 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard (8.2.1.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 5 Oct 2023 89,730 miles

Both rear tyres are starting to wear on inner tread section.

Pass 16 Sep 2022 84,613 miles
Pass 14 Oct 2021 82,866 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2020 81,456 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2019 80,629 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2018 79,788 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2017 77,376 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2016 74,948 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2015 72,825 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2014 71,011 miles
Fail 7 Oct 2014 71,011 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

Pass 10 Oct 2013 69,459 miles
Pass 4 Oct 2012 67,612 miles
Pass 6 Oct 2011 65,433 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2010 63,235 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2009 60,285 miles
Fail 1 Oct 2009 60,133 miles

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

Pass 3 Oct 2008 56,551 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2007 49,968 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 20 Sep 2006 39,432 miles
Fail 20 Sep 2006 39,431 miles

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

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

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

Pass 21 Sep 2005 30,493 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

S744 FEC is a 1998 BMW 523 in Silver with a 2,494cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 S744 FEC, 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 S744 FEC?

You can check the full history of S744 FEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S744 FEC registered?

S744 FEC is a 1998 BMW 523, first registered on 1 August 1998.

Is S744 FEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for S744 FEC shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S744 FEC 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 S744 FEC. 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.