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J9 DUS

1997 BMW 540

Black Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Aug 2026
Tests20 (18 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate90%

Mileage

99,501 mi
Last recorded99,501 miles
Recorded on27 Jul 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 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

RegistrationJ9 DUS
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

18 pass 2 fail
Pass 27 Jul 2025 99,501 miles
Pass 20 Jul 2024 99,455 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Pass 15 Jul 2023 99,400 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2022 99,250 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Pass 15 Aug 2021 99,119 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all four (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Rear Tyre wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch both sides (5.2.3 (f))

Pass 15 Aug 2020 99,022 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Pass 26 Jul 2019 98,901 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

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

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

Rear Tyre wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch o/s and n/s (5.2.3 (f))

Pass 11 Aug 2018 98,812 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

Fail 11 Aug 2018 98,812 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

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

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

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

Pass 31 Jul 2017 98,659 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Pass 12 Aug 2016 98,399 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Nearside Front Outer door handle deteriorated

Pass 14 Aug 2015 98,232 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Front position lamp(s) slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nail in offside front tyre

Outer Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 1 Aug 2014 97,400 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 12 Aug 2013 96,381 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

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

Offside Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 4 Jul 2012 96,322 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Oil leak

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 21 May 2011 95,339 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Oil leak

Pass 30 Apr 2010 92,531 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2008 89,011 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2008 88,897 miles

Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Rear Tyre has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Front Obligatory mirror insecure (8.1.1)

Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tyre has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Battery insecure

Pass 18 May 2006 38,237 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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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J9 DUS is a 1997 BMW 540 in Black with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 90%.

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 J9 DUS, 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 J9 DUS?

You can check the full history of J9 DUS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J9 DUS registered?

J9 DUS is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 25 April 1997.

Is J9 DUS safe to buy?

The MOT history for J9 DUS shows 20 tests with a 90% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J9 DUS 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 J9 DUS. 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.