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P401 MOW

1997 BMW 540

Black Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 Nov 2016
Tests16 (11 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate68.8%

Mileage

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

RegistrationP401 MOW
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourBlack
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 5 fail
Pass 20 Nov 2015

Both rear inner sills corroded

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

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

Pass 17 Jan 2015 168,420 miles
Fail 6 Jan 2015 168,378 miles

Electrical wiring insecure (1.9.2a)

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber casing damaged externally so the unit does not function (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 21 Nov 2013
Fail 19 Nov 2013

Electrical wiring deteriorated and bare connector exposed (1.9.2c)

Electrical wiring insecure (1.9.2a)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front 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 Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

N/S Headlamp output reduced

Pass 20 Nov 2012
Pass 15 Nov 2011
Fail 14 Nov 2011

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

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Indicator tell tale inoperative (1.4.A.2a)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Pass 19 Nov 2010 148,328 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2009 145,026 miles
Fail 10 Nov 2009 145,024 miles

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

Pass 6 Nov 2008 140,591 miles

Oil leak

Pass 5 Nov 2007 137,264 miles

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

Pass 1 Nov 2006 132,863 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2005 128,570 miles

Air bag light staying on.

Power steering resivoir and feed pipes damp.

Wipers slightly smeary.

Fail 10 Nov 2005 128,562 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside headlamp slightly loose but stable

Power steering resevouir feed pipes damp

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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P401 MOW is a 1997 BMW 540 in Black with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.8%.

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 P401 MOW, 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 P401 MOW?

You can check the full history of P401 MOW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P401 MOW registered?

P401 MOW is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 17 March 1997.

Is P401 MOW safe to buy?

The MOT history for P401 MOW shows 16 tests with a 68.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P401 MOW 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 P401 MOW. 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.