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M420 ARL

1994 BMW 540

Grey Petrol 3982cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Aug 2026
Tests22 (16 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate72.7%

Mileage

127,526 mi
Last recorded127,526 miles
Recorded on18 Aug 2025
Typical for 1994 BMW 540139,134 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

RegistrationM420 ARL
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1994
ColourGrey
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,982cc

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

16 pass 6 fail
Pass 18 Aug 2025 127,526 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Fail 14 Aug 2025 127,525 miles

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Pass 24 Nov 2023 121,285 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 27 Nov 2022 118,535 miles

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a reduced damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both sides (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Oct 2021 109,623 miles

all brake pipes corroded at the rear

both front tyres low in tread and cracking

Fail 9 Oct 2021 109,533 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Sub-frame pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

all brake pipes corroded at the rear

both front tyres low in tread and cracking

Pass 30 Oct 2020 100,900 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material NS and OS rear brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

rear fuel pipes corroded

Fail 26 Oct 2020 100,899 miles

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

Exhaust system insecure 2 centre exhaust rubbers missing (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened lower spring mount on shock absorber (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material NS and OS rear brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Rear Prop shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

rear fuel pipes corroded

Fail 25 Aug 2018 100,876 miles

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

Central Rear Exhaust system insecure (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Rear Prop shaft joint constant velocity boot no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers likely to become detached mounting cup corroded (5.3.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material offside to nearside (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 19 Apr 2016 98,640 miles

Front oil leak

Front tyres cracking inner and outer side walls

Nearside Rear brake pipe rusty

Offside Rear wheel buring slight noise

front to rear fuel pipes rusty

Pass 14 Mar 2015 95,549 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2014 88,504 miles

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 9 Mar 2013 87,560 miles
Pass 27 Feb 2012 83,933 miles

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

Pass 25 Feb 2011 81,621 miles

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

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 5 Mar 2010 78,752 miles
Fail 5 Mar 2010 78,752 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 11 Mar 2009 74,181 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Fail 10 Mar 2009 74,181 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp does not illuminate (3.4.1b)

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 5 Mar 2008 68,118 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Feb 2007 61,908 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2006 56,942 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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M420 ARL is a 1994 BMW 540 in Grey with a 3,982cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.7%.

Across all 1994 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.5% with a typical mileage of 139,134 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 M420 ARL, 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 32 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 M420 ARL?

You can check the full history of M420 ARL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M420 ARL registered?

M420 ARL is a 1994 BMW 540, first registered on 3 October 1994.

Is M420 ARL safe to buy?

The MOT history for M420 ARL shows 22 tests with a 72.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M420 ARL 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 M420 ARL. 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.