Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1981 BMW 520?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 1981 BMW 520?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 1981 BMW 520?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

What are common problems with the 1981 BMW 520?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 1981 BMW 520 are: Fuel pipe/s corroded (33.3% of vehicles), Oil leak (28.8% of vehicles), Brake pipe slightly corroded (16.7% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 1981 BMW 520?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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BMW 520 (1981)

684 real MOT outcomes analysed

1981 BMW 520

CarHunch has 684 1981 BMW 520 vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

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Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Colour Breakdown Compare Models

No MOT data available for this vehicle type

The 1981 BMW 520 doesn't appear in DVLA light-vehicle MOT records — it may be exempt, registered as a different vehicle class, or an import not subject to UK MOT testing. We don't have reliability stats for this specific model, but you can browse other BMW vehicles below.

Browse all BMW models →

No MOT data — worth knowing

Got a specific BMW 520 you're checking out?

The real detail is in the individual vehicle report — MOT history, AI Hunches, mileage timeline, and defect patterns for that specific reg.

MOT statistics not available

We have 684 1981 BMW 520 vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

There are a few reasons this can happen:

Heavy commercial vehicle — trucks, buses and coaches over 3.5 tonnes are tested under the DVSA annual HGV/PSV regime, which uses a separate database not included in our data source
Imported vehicles — vehicles registered abroad and recently brought to the UK may have no UK MOT history yet
MOT-exempt — vehicles manufactured before 1986 qualify under the 40-year rolling exemption; some specialist and agricultural vehicles are also exempt
Never used on public roads — some vehicles are registered but kept off-road and have never required an MOT

Check on the official DVSA service →

What tends to go wrong

Across 684 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Other issues 33.3%

Fuel pipe/s corroded · Oil leak

Brake wear 16.7%

Brake pipe slightly corroded · Parking brake: efficiency below requirements · Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Suspension & steering 13.6%

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Tyre wear 12.1%

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Lighting 12.1%

Offside Rear fog lamp not working · Offside Stop lamp not working

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Exhaust & emissions 12.1%

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases · Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive

Wipers & washers 10.6%

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively · Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1981.

Before you buy a 1981 BMW 520

Based on MOT data from 684 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 0% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Colour Breakdown

Based on 153,915 BMW 520 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 25.6%

39,331

Grey 21.6%

33,230

Blue 16.8%

25,839

Silver 15.7%

24,148

White 11%

16,857

Green 4.1%

6,315

Red 3.5%

5,369

Brown 0.6%

966

Bronze 0.5%

725

Gold 0.4%

549

Beige 0.2%

357

Purple 0.1%

229

Other model years — BMW 520: All 520 years → Which year to buy? →

1980 1983 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

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