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325 LAB

1997 BMW 540

Green Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Jan 2027
Tests27 (21 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

181,016 mi
Last recorded181,016 miles
Recorded on5 Jan 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 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

Registration325 LAB
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,398cc

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

21 pass 6 fail
Pass 5 Jan 2026 181,016 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

corrosion to n/s and o/s rear sills

excess corrosion to n/s front sill/jacking point, outside a prescribed area.

fuel pipes corroded

o/s front sill/jacking point corroded

outer sills covered

Pass 16 Jan 2025 179,268 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

fuel pipes corroded

outer sills covered

slight corrosion to n/s and o/s rear sills

Fail 13 Jan 2025 179,268 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

fuel pipes corroded

outer sills covered

slight corrosion to n/s and o/s rear sills

Pass 29 Jan 2024 177,753 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

engine oil leak

front to rear fuel pipes corroded

Fail 10 Jan 2024 177,710 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

engine oil leak

front to rear fuel pipes corroded

Pass 6 Dec 2022 177,519 miles
Fail 21 Nov 2022 177,519 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 24 Nov 2021 177,284 miles
Fail 24 Nov 2021 177,284 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 8 Dec 2020 177,013 miles
Fail 24 Nov 2020 177,013 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Rear Seat belt buckle not functioning as intended (7.1.2 (d))

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

Pass 22 Nov 2019 176,761 miles
Pass 20 Nov 2018 175,598 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2017 174,419 miles
Pass 2 Dec 2016 172,792 miles

nearside and offside rear lower suspension joint gaitors split

Pass 3 Dec 2015 170,649 miles
Pass 27 Nov 2014 168,481 miles
Pass 17 Dec 2013 166,833 miles

Offside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 13 Dec 2013 166,805 miles

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

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

Offside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 19 Nov 2012 164,574 miles
Pass 17 Nov 2011 162,513 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2010 159,972 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2009 156,748 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2008 153,034 miles
Pass 4 Dec 2007 149,728 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2006 145,684 miles

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

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

Pass 17 Nov 2005 138,676 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 540?

Based on 50,016 MOT tests across 4,152 vehicles.

71.9%
Pass Rate
4,801
Miles/Year
33
Year Lifespan
4,152
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 2,881
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2,341
Brake pipe excessively corroded 1,599
parking brake recording little or no effort 1,360
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 1,334
Full BMW 540 reliability report

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325 LAB is a 1997 BMW 540 in Green with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 1997 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.9% with a typical mileage of 117,944 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW 540 fails its MOT is parking brake: efficiency below requirements, accounting for 2,881 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 325 LAB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 540 typically stays on UK roads for around 33 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 540 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 325 LAB?

You can check the full history of 325 LAB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 325 LAB registered?

325 LAB is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 1 January 1997.

Is 325 LAB safe to buy?

The MOT history for 325 LAB shows 27 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 325 LAB 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 325 LAB. 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.