CarVerify

Free Car Check

P22 WCB

1997 BMW 540

Silver Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires9 Jun 2016
Tests16 (10 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

160,230 mi
Last recorded160,230 miles
Recorded on10 Jun 2015
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP22 WCB
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

10 pass 6 fail
Pass 10 Jun 2015 160,230 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 10 May 2014 155,075 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

Fail 10 May 2014 155,075 miles

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

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

Pass 10 May 2013 150,237 miles

fuel pipes rusty

Fail 9 Apr 2013 149,953 miles

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

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

fuel pipes rusty

Pass 24 Apr 2012 147,359 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

n s r tyre worn on inner edge

Fail 21 Apr 2012 147,289 miles

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

n s r tyre worn on inner edge

Pass 22 Apr 2011 142,702 miles

High level stop light inop

N/S/F anti roll bar linkage ball joint dust covers split

Fail 9 Apr 2011 142,473 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front suspension has excessive movement at a wishbone pin or bush (2.5.A.1c)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front suspension has excessive movement at a wishbone pin or bush (2.5.A.1c)

Offside Rear Lower Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Exhaust weeping from various joints

High level stop light inop

N/S/F anti roll bar linkage ball joint dust covers split

Pass 17 Apr 2010 138,308 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Lower Torque/reaction arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 10 Apr 2010 138,171 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Lower Torque/reaction arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 4 Apr 2009 131,400 miles

centre caps fitted

under body covers fitted

under engine cover fitted

Pass 31 Mar 2008 125,014 miles

both track control arm inner bushes starting to split

floor sections covered by panels

front inner disc pads very low with wear step on discs

surface corrosion on steel brake pipes

Fail 31 Mar 2008 125,014 miles

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

both track control arm inner bushes starting to split

floor sections covered by panels

front inner disc pads very low with wear step on discs

surface corrosion on steel brake pipes

Pass 22 Mar 2007 119,618 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2006 110,347 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

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

P22 WCB is a 1997 BMW 540 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

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 P22 WCB, 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 P22 WCB?

You can check the full history of P22 WCB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P22 WCB registered?

P22 WCB is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 27 March 1997.

Is P22 WCB safe to buy?

The MOT history for P22 WCB shows 16 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P22 WCB 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 P22 WCB. 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.