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R242 KAW

1997 BMW 840

Silver Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires31 Jul 2026
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

78,544 mi
Last recorded78,544 miles
Recorded on18 Jul 2025
Typical for 1997 BMW 840100,467 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

RegistrationR242 KAW
MakeBMW
Model840
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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 18 Jul 2025 78,544 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2024 78,418 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2023 78,214 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 5 Jul 2023 78,214 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 29 Jul 2022 76,936 miles
Fail 12 Jul 2022 76,920 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Inner Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Inner Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Jul 2021 75,618 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 12 Jul 2021 75,618 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Driver's door catch deteriorated but the door can still be readily opened and closed (6.2.3 (c) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Jul 2020 72,738 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2020 72,738 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 18 Jul 2019 72,570 miles

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 18 Jul 2019 72,570 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 15 Jul 2019 72,568 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt front (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Power steering component leaking steering box of (2.1.5 (a))

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 2 Jul 2018 70,914 miles

Offside Front tyre on outer edge wearing low

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

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

Pass 1 Aug 2017 69,263 miles

Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play n/s and o/s (2.6.2)

Fail 1 Aug 2017 69,263 miles

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

Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play n/s and o/s (2.6.2)

Pass 1 Aug 2017 69,263 miles

Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play n/s and o/s (2.6.2)

Pass 18 Aug 2016 58,468 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2015 51,746 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2015 51,746 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 28 Aug 2014 40,665 miles

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

Pass 2 Jul 2013 33,758 miles

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

Fail 26 Jun 2013 33,700 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Pass 11 Apr 2012 30,217 miles
Pass 2 Dec 2009 29,563 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2008 28,800 miles
Pass 8 Oct 2007 27,591 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2006 25,603 miles

How Reliable is the BMW 840?

Based on 28,318 MOT tests across 1,862 vehicles.

74.4%
Pass Rate
1,508
Miles/Year
33
Year Lifespan
1,862
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 937
Headlamp aim too low 780
Brake pipe excessively corroded 741
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 554
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 499
Full BMW 840 reliability report

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R242 KAW is a 1997 BMW 840 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

Across all 1997 BMW 840 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.1% with a typical mileage of 100,467 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 840 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 937 recorded failures. If you're considering buying R242 KAW, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW 840 typically stays on UK roads for around 33 years. At 29 years old, this BMW 840 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of R242 KAW?

You can check the full history of R242 KAW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R242 KAW registered?

R242 KAW is a 1997 BMW 840, first registered on 8 August 1997.

Is R242 KAW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R242 KAW shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R242 KAW 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 R242 KAW. 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.