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A3 UAO

1996 BMW 540

Grey Petrol 3982cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Feb 2027
Tests18 (14 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

52,108 mi
Last recorded52,108 miles
Recorded on23 Feb 2026
Typical for 1996 BMW 540125,563 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationA3 UAO
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1996
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,982cc
View full BMW 540 reliability data

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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

14 pass 4 fail
Pass 23 Feb 2026 52,108 miles
Pass 5 Sep 2023 51,000 miles

Centre exhaust silencer, offside rear rubber mounting is deteriorating

Front too rear rigid metal fuel pipe is corroding

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 30 Aug 2023 51,000 miles

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

Centre exhaust silencer, offside rear rubber mounting is deteriorating

Front too rear rigid metal fuel pipe is corroding

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 2 Dec 2020 50,617 miles

Both front tyres heavily perished and cracked

Both rear tyres heavily perished

Movement in both rear sub frame bushes

One centre exhaust rubber broken

Wiper blades poor

Pass 1 May 2019 50,243 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 23 Dec 2017 50,006 miles

Slight wear o/s/f tyre outer

front wipers smearing

n/s/f tyre starting to perish

n/s/r tyre inner perishing

Pass 20 Jun 2016 45,738 miles
Pass 28 May 2015 44,608 miles

tyres starting to perrish

Pass 20 Jun 2014 42,793 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2013 39,987 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2010 39,780 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 27 Feb 2009 39,688 miles
Pass 17 Jan 2008

Centre Front Steering column shaft has slight end float (2.1.3)

H/L aim on min spec.

Idle speed quite low.

N/S washer req adj.

O/S wiper missing screen in places.

Fail 17 Jan 2008 38,852 miles

Offside Rear Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

Centre Front Steering column shaft has slight end float (2.1.3)

H/L aim on min spec.

Idle speed quite low.

N/S washer req adj.

O/S wiper missing screen in places.

Pass 12 Feb 2007 38,574 miles
Fail 12 Jan 2007 38,574 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

both front to rear fuel pipes corroded

Pass 12 Jan 2006 38,127 miles
Fail 12 Jan 2006 38,127 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

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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A3 UAO is a 1996 BMW 540 in Grey with a 3,982cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 1996 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.2% with a typical mileage of 125,563 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 A3 UAO, 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 30 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 A3 UAO?

You can check the full history of A3 UAO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A3 UAO registered?

A3 UAO is a 1996 BMW 540, first registered on 11 January 1996.

Is A3 UAO safe to buy?

The MOT history for A3 UAO shows 18 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 A3 UAO 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 A3 UAO. 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.