1997 BMW 523 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

71.7%

Latest Pass Rate

14,170

Total Tests (All Years)

124,307 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1997 BMW 523 as it ages.

12 yrs50.6%

→ ↓2.3%

13 yrs48.3%

→ ↓0.9%

14 yrs47.4%

→ ↓1.3%

15 yrs46.1%

→ ↓2.2%

16 yrs43.9%

→ ↑3.1%

17 yrs47.0%

→ ↑2.1%

18 yrs49.1%

→ ↑3.8%

19 yrs52.9%

→ ↑0.5%

20 yrs53.4%

→ ↓1.1%

21 yrs52.3%

→ ↑8.4%

22 yrs60.7%

→ ↑1.9%

23 yrs62.6%

→ ↑1.4%

24 yrs64.0%

→ ↓0.0%

25 yrs64.0%

→ ↓0.5%

26 yrs63.5%

→ ↑8.2%

27 yrs71.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	50.6%	2,811
13 yrs	48.3%	2,481
14 yrs	47.4%	2,066
15 yrs	46.1%	1,584
16 yrs	43.9%	1,247
17 yrs	47.0%	936
18 yrs	49.1%	745
19 yrs	52.9%	571
20 yrs	53.4%	470
21 yrs	52.3%	256
22 yrs	60.7%	219
23 yrs	62.6%	171
24 yrs	64.0%	189
25 yrs	64.0%	125
26 yrs	63.5%	126
27 yrs	71.7%	173

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW 523 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	71.7%	173
2023 (26 yrs)	63.5%	126
2022 (25 yrs)	64%	125
2021 (24 yrs)	64%	189
2020 (23 yrs)	62.6%	171
2019 (22 yrs)	60.7%	219
2018 (21 yrs)	52.3%	256
2017 (20 yrs)	53.4%	470
2016 (19 yrs)	52.9%	571
2015 (18 yrs)	49.1%	745
2014 (17 yrs)	47%	936
2013 (16 yrs)	43.9%	1,247
2012 (15 yrs)	46.1%	1,584
2011 (14 yrs)	47.4%	2,066
2010 (13 yrs)	48.3%	2,481
2009 (12 yrs)	50.6%	2,811

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 2,811Avg Mileage 124,644Top Failure Brakes — 34.4%

2010High Fail Rate

48.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 2,481Avg Mileage 129,693Top Failure Brakes — 35.8%

2011High Fail Rate

47.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 2,066Avg Mileage 130,925Top Failure Brakes — 37.2%

2012High Fail Rate

46.1%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 1,584Avg Mileage 133,196Top Failure Brakes — 37.8%

2013High Fail Rate

43.9%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 1,247Avg Mileage 135,200Top Failure Brakes — 99.0%

2014High Fail Rate

47.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 936Avg Mileage 131,414Top Failure Brakes — 94.3%

2015High Fail Rate

49.1%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 745Avg Mileage 132,848Top Failure Brakes — 89.5%

2016High Fail Rate

52.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 571Avg Mileage 129,777Top Failure Brakes — 74.1%

2017High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 470Avg Mileage 130,195Top Failure Brakes — 73.2%

2018High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 256Avg Mileage 135,599Top Failure Brakes — 66.8%

2019High Fail Rate

60.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 219Avg Mileage 130,820Top Failure Brakes — 53.4%

2020High Fail Rate

62.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 171Avg Mileage 133,184Top Failure Brakes — 50.3%

2021High Fail Rate

64.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 189Avg Mileage 130,704Top Failure Brakes — 57.7%

2022High Fail Rate

64.0%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 125Avg Mileage 128,136Top Failure Brakes — 47.2%

2023High Fail Rate

63.5%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 126Avg Mileage 125,390Top Failure Brakes — 61.9%

2024

71.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 173Avg Mileage 124,307Top Failure Suspension — 41.6%

MOT results for 1997 BMW 523 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	50.6%	2,811	124,644	Brakes — 34.4%
2010	13	48.3%	2,481	129,693	Brakes — 35.8%
2011	14	47.4%	2,066	130,925	Brakes — 37.2%
2012	15	46.1%	1,584	133,196	Brakes — 37.8%
2013	16	43.9%	1,247	135,200	Brakes — 99.0%
2014	17	47.0%	936	131,414	Brakes — 94.3%
2015	18	49.1%	745	132,848	Brakes — 89.5%
2016	19	52.9%	571	129,777	Brakes — 74.1%
2017	20	53.4%	470	130,195	Brakes — 73.2%
2018	21	52.3%	256	135,599	Brakes — 66.8%
2019	22	60.7%	219	130,820	Brakes — 53.4%
2020	23	62.6%	171	133,184	Brakes — 50.3%
2021	24	64.0%	189	130,704	Brakes — 57.7%
2022	25	64.0%	125	128,136	Brakes — 47.2%
2023	26	63.5%	126	125,390	Brakes — 61.9%
2024	27	71.7%	173	124,307	Suspension — 41.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW 523, with age trends.

Brakes

59.6%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

45.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

31.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Tyres

24.1%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	19.0% (12 yrs)	41.6% (27 yrs)	+22.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	34.4% (12 yrs)	40.5% (27 yrs)	+6.1%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	17.4% (12 yrs)	21.4% (27 yrs)	+4.0%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2016

← Back to BMW 523 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 523 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 523 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 14,170 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.