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SB53 LAA

2003 BMW 520

Black Petrol 2171cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Mar 2027
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

151,247 mi
Last recorded151,247 miles
Recorded on11 Mar 2026
Typical for 2003 BMW 52084,985 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationSB53 LAA
MakeBMW
Model520
Year2003
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,171cc

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 11 Mar 2026 151,247 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded Front to rear ()

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

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view Stone chip (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Feb 2025 147,222 miles
Fail 19 Feb 2025 147,222 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 9 Mar 2024 143,225 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 13 Mar 2023 135,494 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive coolant (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 17 Mar 2022 129,247 miles
Pass 15 Feb 2021 125,644 miles
Fail 8 Dec 2020 125,452 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

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

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

Pass 20 Dec 2018 122,697 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2017 115,731 miles

Nearside Front TYRE SIDE WALL CRACKING BUT NO CORDS OR PLY

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded NEARSIDE AND OFFSIDE TO CALIPERS (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 31 Oct 2017 115,731 miles

Nearside Front TYRE SIDE WALL CRACKING BUT NO CORDS OR PLY

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded NEARSIDE AND OFFSIDE TO CALIPERS (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 3 Nov 2016 111,043 miles

Nearside Front tyre slight perished age related cracks

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

Pass 23 Nov 2015 102,656 miles
Pass 1 Dec 2014 96,257 miles
Pass 10 Dec 2013 90,646 miles

both rear tyres starting to split on sidewalls

Pass 11 Dec 2012 86,595 miles

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

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

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

Pass 15 Mar 2012 85,022 miles
Fail 14 Mar 2012 85,021 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

air bag light on

Pass 29 Sep 2011 84,274 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2010 74,340 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2010 74,340 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 5 Oct 2009 63,808 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2008 52,158 miles

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

oil around power steering rack gaitors

osf tyre feathering on edges

Fail 16 Oct 2008 52,157 miles

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

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

oil around power steering rack gaitors

osf tyre feathering on edges

Pass 6 Nov 2007 40,490 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2007 40,486 miles

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

Pass 23 Nov 2006 30,005 miles
Fail 20 Nov 2006 30,005 miles

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

How Reliable is the BMW 520?

Based on 1,661,806 MOT tests across 152,584 vehicles.

78.5%
Pass Rate
7,968
Miles/Year
35
Year Lifespan
152,584
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 47,121
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 22,647
Brake pipe excessively corroded 16,724
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 15,884
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 14,720
Full BMW 520 reliability report

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SB53 LAA is a 2003 BMW 520 in Black with a 2,171cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

Across all 2003 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 74.5% with a typical mileage of 84,985 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 520 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 47,121 recorded failures. If you're considering buying SB53 LAA, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 520 typically stays on UK roads for around 35 years. At 23 years old, this BMW 520 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of SB53 LAA?

You can check the full history of SB53 LAA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was SB53 LAA registered?

SB53 LAA is a 2003 BMW 520, first registered on 21 November 2003.

Is SB53 LAA safe to buy?

The MOT history for SB53 LAA 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 SB53 LAA 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 SB53 LAA. 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.