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A488 FUP

1997 BMW 520

Silver Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Sep 2015
Tests15 (9 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

131,498 mi
Last recorded131,498 miles
Recorded on19 Sep 2014
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationA488 FUP
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,991cc

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 6 fail
Pass 19 Sep 2014 131,498 miles

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

fuel pipes corroded

play in steering rack inner joints

Fail 19 Sep 2014 131,498 miles

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

fuel pipes coroded

Pass 18 Sep 2013 128,426 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 16 Sep 2013 128,426 miles

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

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 17 Aug 2012 124,176 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

blue smoke from exhaust approaching failure stage

nearside reverse light not working

Fail 16 Aug 2012 124,171 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

blue smoke from exhaust approaching failure stage

nearside reverse light not working

Pass 16 Aug 2011 119,158 miles

handbrake performance 16% only at time of test

Pass 10 Sep 2010 114,187 miles
Fail 9 Sep 2010 114,187 miles

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

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

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

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

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 12 Sep 2009 108,621 miles

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

Rear coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 9 Sep 2008 102,507 miles

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

Fail 9 Sep 2008 102,507 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 11 Sep 2007 96,556 miles
Fail 11 Sep 2007 96,556 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 5 Sep 2006 91,002 miles

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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A488 FUP is a 1997 BMW 520 in Silver with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1997 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.6% with a typical mileage of 121,946 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 A488 FUP, 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 29 years old, this BMW 520 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of A488 FUP?

You can check the full history of A488 FUP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A488 FUP registered?

A488 FUP is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is A488 FUP safe to buy?

The MOT history for A488 FUP shows 15 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A488 FUP 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 A488 FUP. 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.