1997 BMW 520i Se Auto — MOT History by Age
How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Compared to Average at Age 16
⚠️ 7.5% below average (10212 models compared)
How This Car Ages
Pass rate progression for the 1997 BMW 520i Se Auto as it ages.
Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 12 to 16 years
📊 View as table
| Age | Pass Rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| 12 yrs | 54.1% | 109 |
| 13 yrs | 48.4% | 62 |
| 14 yrs | 44.8% | 58 |
| 15 yrs | 37.5% | 48 |
| 16 yrs | 45.2% | 31 |
Pass Rate Trend
How the 1997 BMW 520i Se Auto pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.
Trend shows stable over 5 years
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| Built | Pass Rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 (16 yrs) | 45.2% | 31 |
| 2012 (15 yrs) | 37.5% | 48 |
| 2011 (14 yrs) | 44.8% | 58 |
| 2010 (13 yrs) | 48.4% | 62 |
| 2009 (12 yrs) | 54.1% | 109 |
Year-by-Year MOT Results
Common MOT Failures
Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW 520i Se Auto, with age trends.
How Failures Change With Age
Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.
| Category | At Youngest | At Oldest | Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment | 26.6% (12 yrs) | 67.7% (16 yrs) | +41.1%
| 🔴 ↑ |
| Suspension | 16.5% (12 yrs) | 48.4% (16 yrs) | +31.9%
| 🔴 ↑ |
| Brakes | 27.5% (12 yrs) | 58.1% (16 yrs) | +30.6%
| 🔴 ↑ |
| Tyres | 22.9% (12 yrs) | 41.9% (16 yrs) | +19.0%
| 🔴 ↑ |
Other Manufacture Years
Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 520i Se Auto page →
About This Data
This page shows how BMW 520i Se Auto cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2013, covering 308 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.