CarVerify

Free Car Check

P505 GSP

1996 BMW 540

Silver Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Apr 2014
Tests12 (6 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

132,768 mi
Last recorded132,768 miles
Recorded on19 Apr 2013
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
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

RegistrationP505 GSP
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1996
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,398cc
View full BMW 540 reliability data

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

6 pass 6 fail
Pass 19 Apr 2013 132,768 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

nearside rear tyre cracks in sidewall

Fail 11 Apr 2013

Fuel pipe leaking (7.2.3)

Main beam 'tell-tale' not working (1.7.4c)

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

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Oil leak

nearside rear tyre cracks in sidewall

Pass 11 Aug 2011 130,286 miles

Airbag light stays on.

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Suspension joint nearside upper dust cover split/missing

Fail 10 Aug 2011 130,286 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (3.1.3c)

Airbag light stays on.

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Nearside washer not working.

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

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Suspension joint nearside upper dust cover split/missing

Pass 30 Jul 2010 128,536 miles
Fail 29 Jul 2010 128,536 miles

Brake lever locking device missing (3.5.1l)

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

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

Pass 28 May 2009 122,872 miles
Fail 26 May 2009 122,872 miles

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

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

Pass 29 Feb 2008 117,062 miles
Fail 25 Feb 2008

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

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

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

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

Pass 15 Jan 2007 108,450 miles
Fail 9 Jan 2007 108,449 miles

Bootlid cannot be secured in the closed position (6.4.1)

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

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

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

P505 GSP is a 1996 BMW 540 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 12 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 P505 GSP, 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 P505 GSP?

You can check the full history of P505 GSP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P505 GSP registered?

P505 GSP is a 1996 BMW 540, first registered on 7 August 1996.

Is P505 GSP safe to buy?

The MOT history for P505 GSP shows 12 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P505 GSP 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 P505 GSP. 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.