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P497 APF

1996 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires19 May 2015
Tests15 (9 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

122,374 mi
Last recorded122,374 miles
Recorded on20 May 2014
Typical for 1996 BMW 540125,563 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

RegistrationP497 APF
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1996
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

9 pass 6 fail
Pass 20 May 2014 122,374 miles
Fail 17 May 2014 122,335 miles

Nearside Inner Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Outer Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Pass 20 May 2013 117,717 miles
Fail 11 May 2013 117,701 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

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

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

front to rear fuel pipes corroided

Pass 16 May 2012 114,722 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Pass 23 Jun 2011 114,716 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2010 113,262 miles
Fail 14 Jun 2010 113,217 miles

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

n/s/r spring appears not to be seated square unable to see top

Pass 25 Jun 2009 109,357 miles

unable to see top of n/s/r spring but does not sit central to shock absorber

Fail 19 Jun 2009 109,302 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

unable to see top of n/s/r spring but does not sit central to shock absorber

Pass 20 Jun 2008 105,477 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

air bag light on

Fail 19 Jun 2008 105,472 miles

Nearside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

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

Offside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

air bag light on

Fail 9 Jun 2008 105,439 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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)

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

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

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

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

airbag light on

catalyctic converters rattling

front discs showing wear

front to rear fuel pipes corroded

Pass 13 Jun 2007 99,973 miles

air bag light on.

metal fuel pipes corroded.

Pass 13 Jun 2006 93,340 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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P497 APF is a 1996 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

Across all 1996 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.2% with a typical mileage of 125,563 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 P497 APF, 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 30 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 P497 APF?

You can check the full history of P497 APF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P497 APF registered?

P497 APF is a 1996 BMW 540, first registered on 1 November 1996.

Is P497 APF safe to buy?

The MOT history for P497 APF shows 15 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P497 APF 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 P497 APF. 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.