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P26 WDL

1997 BMW 540

Green Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires13 Sep 2017
Tests20 (11 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate55%

Mileage

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

RegistrationP26 WDL
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourGreen
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 9 fail
Pass 14 Sep 2016

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Pass 20 Aug 2015

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Nail in nearside front tyre

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

n/s/f tyre has deep cut in outer sidewall

Pass 4 Sep 2014

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

Fail 19 Aug 2014

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 15 Aug 2013 143,127 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2013 143,127 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Macpherson strut fractured (2.4.G.1) DANGEROUS

n/s/f tyre hasdeep cut in tread caused by broken shock

Pass 21 May 2012 170,205 miles
Fail 18 May 2012 170,199 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 3 May 2011 153,274 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

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

catalytic converters weak

horn poor

Fail 3 May 2011 153,274 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Seat belt locking mechanism does not secure or release (5.2.5a)

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

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

catalytic converters weak

horn poor

Pass 12 May 2010 145,277 miles

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

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Fail 11 May 2010 145,274 miles

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

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

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

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

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

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

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

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Pass 8 May 2009 131,688 miles

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

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

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

Fail 13 May 2008 119,460 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

n/s/r seatbelt catch button sticks

Pass 13 May 2008 119,460 miles

n/s/r seatbelt catch button sticks

Fail 9 May 2008 119,379 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 9 May 2007 114,166 miles
Fail 30 Apr 2007 113,755 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

handbrake reading only just within limit

Fail 4 May 2006 100,504 miles

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Pass 4 May 2006 100,504 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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P26 WDL is a 1997 BMW 540 in Green with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 55%.

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 P26 WDL, 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 P26 WDL?

You can check the full history of P26 WDL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P26 WDL registered?

P26 WDL is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 28 January 1997.

Is P26 WDL safe to buy?

The MOT history for P26 WDL shows 20 tests with a 55% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P26 WDL 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 P26 WDL. 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.