BMW 520 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 520

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 496,234 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

80.8%

Share of this model's 496,234 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

CO2 emission

Euro emissions

Tax cost

£340/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

132,692

Solid average mileage for this model.

Life expectancy miles

133,674

Moderate mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

13.0

Comfortable mid-life age pattern.

Vehicles represented

67,546

67,546 valid MOT, 0 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

496,234

496,234 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Uncommon

67,546On the road

Insight summary

BMW 520 is an uncommon model in this snapshot, with 67,546 represented vehicles and 0.16% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 80.8% from 496,234 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 59. The current pool shows an average of 132,692 miles and an average age of 13.0 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 133,674 miles. Diesel leads the fuel split, followed by petrol, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, tyre condition and lighting. The practical read is that the BMW 520 looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
DIESEL	65,329
PETROL	2,192
ELECTRIC DIESEL	18
LPG	4
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)	2
ELECTRIC	1

Euro NCAP Safety

No NCAP tests found for this model.

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	9,188
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	6,035
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	5,540
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	4,283
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	4,036
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	3,727
Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	3,365
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	3,090
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	3,042
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	2,663
Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	2,624
Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	2,499
Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	2,364
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))	2,104
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	1,909
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))	1,747
Front Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	1,736
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	1,695
Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))	1,597
Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))	1,582
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))	1,574
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	1,568
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))	1,549
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	1,412
Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	1,411

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 72,340 defects across this top 25 set

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

9,188

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

6,035

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

5,540

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

4,283

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

4,036

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

3,727

Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

3,365

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

3,090

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

3,042

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

2,663

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

2,624

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

2,499

Offside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

2,364

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

2,104

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

1,909

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

1,747

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

1,736

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

1,695

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

1,597

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

1,582

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))

1,574

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

1,568

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

1,549

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

1,412

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

1,411

BMW 520 reliability and MOT data