CarVerify

Free Car Check

R42 JPM

1997 BMW 840

Red Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires26 Jan 2026
Tests29 (18 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate62.1%

Mileage

176,628 mi
Last recorded176,628 miles
Recorded on17 Jan 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW 840100,467 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR42 JPM
MakeBMW
Model840
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,398cc
View full BMW 840 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

18 pass 11 fail
Fail 17 Jan 2026 176,628 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Front Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

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 Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 11 Jan 2025 175,058 miles

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre wearing on inside edge

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

Pass 27 Jan 2024 173,807 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 1.6mm only (5.2.3 (e))

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

Offside Front Tyre starting to wear on the inside edge

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 1.6mm only (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 13 Jan 2023 170,513 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2mm only, 275/30ZR19 96Y Falken Azenis (5.2.3 (e))

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3mm only, 275/30ZR19 96Y Falken Azenis (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 17 Jan 2022 166,462 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 18 Jan 2021 162,813 miles

Movement in n/s/r lower suspension bush/bearing

Movement in o/s/r lower suspension bush/bearing

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Jul 2019 158,458 miles

Horn weak

Movement in n/s/r lower suspension bush/bearing

Movement in o/s/r lower suspension bush/bearing

N/S headlamp image/intensity poor

O/S headlamp image/intensity poor

Fail 10 Jul 2019 158,458 miles

Nearside 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))

Offside 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))

Brake servo inoperative (1.1.10 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Tyre tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Horn weak

Movement in n/s/r lower suspension bush/bearing

Movement in o/s/r lower suspension bush/bearing

N/S headlamp image/intensity poor

O/S headlamp image/intensity poor

Offside Rear Tyre badly perished/split but not to cords

Pass 19 Jul 2018 158,510 miles

movement in o/s/r lower suspension bush/bearing

n/s headlamp image/intensity poor

n/s/r tyre tread worn low, split/perished on inner edge

o/s headlamp image /intensity very poor ,just acceptable

track rod end gaitors perished

Pass 14 Jul 2017 155,995 miles

emissions erratic

horn weak

n/s headlamp dim

n/s/r tyre tread worn low and perished

o/s headlamp very dim

outer track rod end gaitors perished/split

rear hub lower bushes worn and gaitors perished/split

Pass 6 Jul 2016 155,223 miles
Fail 5 Jul 2016 155,223 miles

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

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

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

Pass 15 May 2015 154,090 miles

front tyre treads worn on inner edges

headlamp images poor

Pass 9 May 2014 151,828 miles

o/s headlamp dim

o/s/r sidelamp inop

Fail 9 May 2014 151,828 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)

o/s headlamp dim

o/s/r sidelamp inop

Pass 23 May 2013 150,466 miles

exhaust noisy

nail in n/s/r tyre tread

rear hub lower pivot bush/bearing covers perishing

Fail 22 May 2013 150,465 miles

Offside Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Offside Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

exhaust noisy

nail in n/s/r tyre tread

rear hub lower pivot bush/bearing covers perishing

Fail 24 Apr 2013 150,417 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Headlamp excessively deteriorated so that the light output is severely reduced (1.7.5a)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Oil leak

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

Pass 2 Mar 2012 148,284 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 30 Jan 2012 147,551 miles

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

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)

Pass 18 Feb 2011 144,076 miles

Both rear shocks leaking,N/S only just acceptable.

Pass 6 Feb 2010 142,871 miles
Fail 5 Feb 2010 142,871 miles

Offside Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 7 Jan 2010 142,846 miles

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)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 20 Jun 2008 140,136 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Fail 13 Jun 2008 139,729 miles

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

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

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

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

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

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 11 Jun 2007 130,645 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2005 113,368 miles
Fail 31 Aug 2005 113,348 miles

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

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

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

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

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

R42 JPM is a 1997 BMW 840 in Red with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.1%.

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 R42 JPM, 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 R42 JPM?

You can check the full history of R42 JPM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R42 JPM registered?

R42 JPM is a 1997 BMW 840, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R42 JPM safe to buy?

The MOT history for R42 JPM shows 29 tests with a 62.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R42 JPM 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 R42 JPM. 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.