CarVerify

Free Car Check

M181 VDM

1994 BMW 518

Grey Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires24 Feb 2011
Tests9 (5 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate55.6%

Mileage

189,435 mi
Last recorded189,435 miles
Recorded on25 Feb 2010
Typical for 1994 BMW 518132,368 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationM181 VDM
MakeBMW
Model518
Year1994
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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

5 pass 4 fail
Pass 25 Feb 2010 189,435 miles

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

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

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

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

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

air bag light on

Fail 22 Feb 2010 189,435 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Intermediate drop arm insecure (2.2.B.1a)

Macpherson strut worn and seriously weakened (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

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

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

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

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

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

air bag light on

Pass 7 Feb 2009 179,269 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

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

clutch pedal rubber missing

rear axle beam both bushes worn

Fail 6 Feb 2009 179,269 miles

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp excessively damaged so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.2.1d)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

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

clutch pedal rubber missing

rear axle beam both bushes worn

Pass 13 Feb 2008 171,507 miles

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Fail 21 Nov 2007 170,875 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Steering box has relative movement between sector shaft and the drop arm (2.2.B.1b)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 19 Jan 2007 160,323 miles
Fail 17 Jan 2007 160,323 miles

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

Pass 20 Jan 2006 146,200 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 518?

Based on 62,660 MOT tests across 8,904 vehicles.

74.0%
Pass Rate
6,367
Miles/Year
41
Year Lifespan
8,904
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 3,373
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 2,837
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 1,465
position lamp(s) not working 1,178
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 1,104
Full BMW 518 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

M181 VDM is a 1994 BMW 518 in Grey with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 9 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55.6%.

Across all 1994 BMW 518 models, the average MOT pass rate is 65.8% with a typical mileage of 132,368 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a BMW 518 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 3,373 recorded failures. If you're considering buying M181 VDM, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 518 typically stays on UK roads for around 41 years. At 32 years old, this BMW 518 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of M181 VDM?

You can check the full history of M181 VDM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M181 VDM registered?

M181 VDM is a 1994 BMW 518, first registered on 31 December 1994.

Is M181 VDM safe to buy?

The MOT history for M181 VDM shows 9 tests with a 55.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M181 VDM 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 M181 VDM. 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.