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M74 SVS

1997 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires22 Aug 2022
Tests18 (11 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate61.1%

Mileage

Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi
4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationM74 SVS
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

11 pass 7 fail
Pass 23 Aug 2021

Fresh underseal both rear sills

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

Parking brake noisy when tested

Fail 6 Mar 2021 108,922 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage likely to become detached in the event of a collision (7.1.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage likely to become detached in the event of a collision outer door seal under plastic (7.1.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 29 May 2019 104,000 miles
Pass 31 Mar 2018 103,296 miles

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

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

oil leak

Pass 19 Oct 2016

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

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

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

Pass 23 Nov 2015 98,858 miles

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit both wearing on outer edges (4.1.E.1)

Fail 20 Nov 2015 98,858 miles

Driver's airbag obviously defective (5.4.1)

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

Offside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit both wearing on outer edges (4.1.E.1)

Fail 30 Aug 2014 98,349 miles

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

Nearside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 28 Aug 2013 98,803 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Nearside Front brake caliper securing device missing (3.5.1j)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b)

Nail in nearside front tyre

Nearside Rear front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Offside Front front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

both front tyres bald on edges

Pass 31 Aug 2012 89,612 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2012 89,612 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

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

front tyres worn on edges

Pass 29 Apr 2011
Fail 27 Apr 2011

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 3 Jul 2009 82,544 miles
Pass 3 Jul 2008 76,674 miles
Pass 3 Jul 2007 73,338 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Pass 5 May 2006 66,072 miles
Fail 28 Apr 2006 66,072 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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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M74 SVS is a 1997 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.1%.

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 a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 M74 SVS, 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 M74 SVS?

You can check the full history of M74 SVS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M74 SVS registered?

M74 SVS is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 1 November 1997.

Is M74 SVS safe to buy?

The MOT history for M74 SVS shows 18 tests with a 61.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M74 SVS 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 M74 SVS. 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.