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J66 RCL

1997 BMW 520

Green Petrol 1991cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires21 Feb 2013
Tests12 (7 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate58.3%

Mileage

187,557 mi
Last recorded187,557 miles
Recorded on29 Jan 2013
Typical for 1997 BMW 520121,946 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ66 RCL
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

7 pass 5 fail
Fail 29 Jan 2013 187,557 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose excessively damaged (3.6.B.4d) DANGEROUS

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front suspension has slight play in a track control arm inner bush (2.5.B.2b)

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Inner Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

airbag light on

both headlamps, beam image poor

both rear sills corroded

offside rear seat belt difficult to engage and release

traction control light on

Pass 14 Feb 2012 181,607 miles
Fail 10 Feb 2012 181,171 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Pass 22 Feb 2011 174,846 miles
Fail 22 Feb 2011 174,846 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

Pass 11 Feb 2010 170,805 miles
Fail 8 Feb 2010 170,804 miles

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

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

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 14 Jan 2009 165,069 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 18 Jan 2008 160,250 miles

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 11 Jan 2008 160,210 miles

Nearside Front Wheel stud(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 5 Jan 2007 155,011 miles
Pass 10 Jan 2006 146,831 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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J66 RCL is a 1997 BMW 520 in Green with a 1,991cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.3%.

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 J66 RCL, 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 J66 RCL?

You can check the full history of J66 RCL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J66 RCL registered?

J66 RCL is a 1997 BMW 520, first registered on 18 November 1997.

Is J66 RCL safe to buy?

The MOT history for J66 RCL shows 12 tests with a 58.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J66 RCL 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 J66 RCL. 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.