CarVerify

Free Car Check

R46 GEW

1998 BMW 540

Grey Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires22 Sep 2017
Tests16 (12 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

193,428 mi
Last recorded193,428 miles
Recorded on23 Sep 2016
Typical for 1998 BMW 540116,079 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

RegistrationR46 GEW
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1998
ColourGrey
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

12 pass 4 fail
Pass 23 Sep 2016 193,428 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 19 Sep 2016 193,423 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear no.1 beside the fuel tank (3.6.B.2c)

Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear no.2 beside the fuel tank (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Road wheel cracked (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 1 Sep 2015 190,139 miles

Both headlamps deteriorated on the lense

Brake pipe slightly corroded front to rear brakes pipes x2 as they run behind the subframe (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside steering arm has slight play in its inner joints

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin Both O/S & N/S (3.5.1g)

Pass 3 Sep 2014 185,743 miles
Fail 3 Sep 2014 185,743 miles

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 31 Jan 2014 183,745 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2013 180,391 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Oil leak

Pass 20 Dec 2011 175,368 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2010 170,564 miles

ONLY JUST PASSED HANDBRAKE 16% = H/B SHOE INSPECTION

Pass 17 Dec 2009 167,263 miles

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

Fail 17 Dec 2009 167,263 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 4 Dec 2008 161,470 miles
Pass 27 Nov 2007 153,636 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2006 145,707 miles

o/s hand brake reading slightly low

Pass 23 Dec 2005 137,280 miles
Fail 14 Dec 2005 137,271 miles

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image too far to the right (1.6.B4)

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

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

R46 GEW is a 1998 BMW 540 in Grey with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 1998 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.2% with a typical mileage of 116,079 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 R46 GEW, 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 28 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 R46 GEW?

You can check the full history of R46 GEW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R46 GEW registered?

R46 GEW is a 1998 BMW 540, first registered on 14 January 1998.

Is R46 GEW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R46 GEW shows 16 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R46 GEW 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 R46 GEW. 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.