CarVerify

Free Car Check

J3 JLJ

1997 BMW 520

Green Petrol 1991cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Feb 2026
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

63,654 mi
Last recorded63,654 miles
Recorded on21 Jan 2025
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

RegistrationJ3 JLJ
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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 21 Jan 2025 63,654 miles

Manufactures engine and body covers fitted restricting inspection of components

Pass 5 Feb 2024 63,649 miles
Fail 30 Jan 2024 63,645 miles

Offside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 26 Jan 2023 63,329 miles

Manufactures engine and body covers fitted restricting inspection of components

Fail 26 Jan 2023 63,329 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Manufactures engine and body covers fitted restricting inspection of components

Pass 24 Jan 2022 63,319 miles

Manufactures engine and body covers fitted restricting inspection of components

Pass 26 Jan 2021 63,307 miles
Fail 26 Jan 2021 63,307 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 4 Feb 2020 62,853 miles
Fail 30 Jan 2020 62,852 miles

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

Rear Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system has no recorded effort at a wheel n/s + o/s (1.3.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 22 Jan 2019 62,840 miles
Fail 22 Jan 2019 62,840 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 25 Jan 2018 62,715 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2017 62,508 miles
Fail 30 Jan 2017 62,507 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded rear off x2 main front to rear metal brake pipes (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 12 Jan 2016 61,950 miles
Fail 11 Jan 2016 61,950 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 28 Jan 2015 60,956 miles

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

Pass 23 Jan 2014 59,957 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2013 59,230 miles
Fail 1 Feb 2013 59,230 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)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 6 Feb 2012 57,929 miles

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

Pass 31 Jan 2011 57,215 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 1 Feb 2010 56,202 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.2b)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.2b)

Pass 27 Jan 2009 55,387 miles

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

Offside 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 2008 54,414 miles
Fail 1 Feb 2008 54,398 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Jan 2007 53,057 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 27 Jan 2006 51,300 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

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

J3 JLJ is a 1997 BMW 520 in Green with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

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 J3 JLJ, 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 J3 JLJ?

You can check the full history of J3 JLJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J3 JLJ registered?

J3 JLJ is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is J3 JLJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for J3 JLJ shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J3 JLJ 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 J3 JLJ. 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.