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P46 BAA

1997 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Mar 2027
Tests22 (19 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate86.4%

Mileage

126,571 mi
Last recorded126,571 miles
Recorded on7 Mar 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP46 BAA
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

19 pass 3 fail
Pass 7 Mar 2026 126,571 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2023 126,065 miles
Pass 23 Dec 2021 125,186 miles

Driver's view Items removed from driver's view prior to test (3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Dec 2020 122,184 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 16 Dec 2019 121,234 miles

Drag link end ball joint has slight play centre track rod (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords side wall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Dec 2018 114,671 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 4 Dec 2017 114,555 miles

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

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

Fail 4 Dec 2017 114,555 miles

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) has less than 50% of the light sources illuminating (1.1.A.3b)

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

Pass 5 Dec 2016 107,470 miles

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

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt rearward (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 7 Dec 2015 105,009 miles

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

Pass 1 Dec 2014 102,406 miles

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

Pass 27 Nov 2013 98,501 miles

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

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

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)

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

Pass 28 Nov 2012 92,078 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2011 85,946 miles
Fail 24 Nov 2011 85,946 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 26 Nov 2010 80,669 miles

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

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

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

Pass 16 Dec 2009 77,779 miles

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

Pass 17 Dec 2008 72,537 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 17 Dec 2007 68,439 miles

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 13 Dec 2006 63,440 miles

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

Centre Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 21 Dec 2005 58,766 miles
Fail 12 Dec 2005 58,740 miles

Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

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

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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P46 BAA is a 1997 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 86.4%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 P46 BAA, 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 P46 BAA?

You can check the full history of P46 BAA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P46 BAA registered?

P46 BAA is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 13 January 1997.

Is P46 BAA safe to buy?

The MOT history for P46 BAA shows 22 tests with a 86.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P46 BAA 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 P46 BAA. 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.