CarVerify

Free Car Check

P29 GVJ

1997 BMW 540

Silver Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Jul 2014
Tests15 (8 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate53.3%

Mileage

138,613 mi
Last recorded138,613 miles
Recorded on9 Jul 2013
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

RegistrationP29 GVJ
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

8 pass 7 fail
Pass 9 Jul 2013 138,613 miles

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Nearside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 29 Jun 2013 138,575 miles

Nearside Front Road wheel badly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 7 Jun 2012 127,203 miles

BOTH REAR TYRES WEARING ON EDGE

N/S/F TYRE PERISHED

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 6 Jun 2012 127,203 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

BOTH REAR TYRES WEARING ON EDGE

N/S/F TYRE PERISHED

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 16 May 2011 120,709 miles
Fail 3 May 2011 120,499 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

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

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

Pass 26 Mar 2010 114,079 miles
Fail 24 Mar 2010 114,077 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a) DANGEROUS

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

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

Pass 17 Apr 2009 112,125 miles

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

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

Pass 6 Feb 2008 109,397 miles
Fail 4 Feb 2008 109,397 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

offside main beam bulb holder missing

Pass 7 Feb 2007 104,379 miles
Fail 5 Feb 2007 104,379 miles

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 cracking on outer wall

Pass 16 Feb 2006 98,733 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2006 98,733 miles

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

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

P29 GVJ is a 1997 BMW 540 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 53.3%.

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 P29 GVJ, 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 P29 GVJ?

You can check the full history of P29 GVJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P29 GVJ registered?

P29 GVJ is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 14 March 1997.

Is P29 GVJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for P29 GVJ shows 15 tests with a 53.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P29 GVJ 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 P29 GVJ. 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.