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J17 OAP

1999 BMW 520

Blue Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 May 2027
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

178,160 mi
Last recorded178,160 miles
Recorded on29 May 2026
Typical for 1999 BMW 520119,795 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ17 OAP
MakeBMW
Model520
Year1999
ColourBlue
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

18 pass 5 fail
Pass 29 May 2026 178,160 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2025 177,924 miles

Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Pass 19 Apr 2024 177,326 miles

Nearside Front Inner Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 17 Apr 2023 175,057 miles

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

ns and os sill covers fitted

Fail 13 Apr 2023 175,057 miles

Fuel pipe leaking (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill end area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) rack end (2.3 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both rear perished / cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

ns and os sill covers fitted

Pass 13 Apr 2022 173,548 miles
Fail 13 Apr 2022 173,546 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Pass 20 Apr 2021 171,369 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded

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

Fail 9 Apr 2021 171,368 miles

Nearside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush excessively worn bush split (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension rod pin or bush excessively worn bush split (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded

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

Pass 20 Jun 2019 170,885 miles

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

exhaust heat shield loose rear.

Pass 19 Jun 2018 170,699 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2017 170,178 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2016 169,648 miles

all tyres are old and perished,but not showing structure.

Pass 16 Dec 2013 169,615 miles

both front tyres cracked/perished but no cords showing at the time of test

offside rear tyre worn on the inside edge

Pass 12 Dec 2012 169,328 miles
Pass 14 Oct 2011 168,388 miles

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

rear tyres worn on the inner edges

Pass 8 Oct 2010 164,340 miles
Pass 17 Jul 2009 161,211 miles

corrosion on brake pipes not all pipes visible at test

full front to back underbody tray fitted to vehicle at test

Fail 9 Jul 2009 161,063 miles

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

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

corrosion on brake pipes not all pipes visible at test

full front to back underbody tray fitted to vehicle at test

Pass 3 Jul 2008 153,994 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2007 146,963 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 7 Apr 2006 138,307 miles
Fail 6 Apr 2006 138,292 miles

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

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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J17 OAP is a 1999 BMW 520 in Blue with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

Across all 1999 BMW 520 models, the average MOT pass rate is 67.2% with a typical mileage of 119,795 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 J17 OAP, 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 27 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 J17 OAP?

You can check the full history of J17 OAP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J17 OAP registered?

J17 OAP is a 1999 BMW 520, first registered on 26 July 1999.

Is J17 OAP safe to buy?

The MOT history for J17 OAP shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J17 OAP 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 J17 OAP. 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.