CarVerify

Free Car Check

DDS 796L

1997 BMW 520

Green Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires9 Feb 2021
Tests22 (15 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate68.2%

Mileage

110,545 mi
Last recorded110,545 miles
Recorded on21 Jan 2020
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

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

RegistrationDDS 796L
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

15 pass 7 fail
Pass 21 Jan 2020 110,545 miles
Fail 21 Jan 2020 110,545 miles

Offside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Jan 2019 108,497 miles
Fail 29 Jan 2019 108,495 miles

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Feb 2018 107,153 miles
Fail 7 Feb 2018 107,152 miles

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

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

rear parking brake recording little or no effort both sides low effort (3.7.B.6a)

Pass 8 Feb 2017 103,288 miles
Fail 12 Jan 2017 103,157 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded Both rear steel pipes (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

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

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

Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Parking brake only just making efficiency figures

Slight perishing to both front tyres

heat shield above rear exhaust silencer insecure

Pass 29 Jan 2016 99,719 miles
Fail 29 Jan 2016 99,718 miles

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 30 Jan 2015 91,890 miles

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

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

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

Pass 3 Feb 2014 83,384 miles

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

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

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

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 31 Jan 2013 73,884 miles

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

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

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

Pass 1 Feb 2012 67,455 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Feb 2011 57,236 miles

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 29 Jan 2010 37,866 miles

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 6 Feb 2009 36,697 miles

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

Fail 6 Feb 2009 36,697 miles

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

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

Pass 6 Feb 2008 35,071 miles

Front bumper insecure

O/S FRONT TYRE WORN VERY LOW ON EDGE

O/S REAR DISC SCORED

Pass 5 Feb 2007 33,423 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2006 30,995 miles
Fail 9 Feb 2006 30,995 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

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

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

DDS 796L is a 1997 BMW 520 in Green with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.2%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 DDS 796L, 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 DDS 796L?

You can check the full history of DDS 796L by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was DDS 796L registered?

DDS 796L is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 26 February 1997.

Is DDS 796L safe to buy?

The MOT history for DDS 796L shows 22 tests with a 68.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does DDS 796L 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 DDS 796L. 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.