CarVerify

Free Car Check

R509 VCF

1998 BMW 540

Red Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Jul 2017
Tests15 (11 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate73.3%

Mileage

134,352 mi
Last recorded134,352 miles
Recorded on19 Jul 2016
Typical for 1998 BMW 540116,079 mi

Above 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

RegistrationR509 VCF
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1998
ColourRed
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

11 pass 4 fail
Pass 19 Jul 2016 134,352 miles

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

Pass 17 Jun 2015 133,549 miles
Pass 8 Apr 2014 132,003 miles

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

Oil leak

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 7 Apr 2014 132,003 miles

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

Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nail in offside rear tyre

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

Oil leak

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 17 Mar 2013 129,401 miles

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

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

Pass 28 Feb 2012 125,844 miles

rear tyre sizes differant from front tyre sizes

Fail 28 Feb 2012 125,842 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Pass 10 Mar 2011 121,639 miles

Oil leak

Fail 7 Mar 2011 121,615 miles

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

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

Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Oil leak

both front and offside rear tyres perished on inner edges

Pass 2 Mar 2010 116,754 miles

both wiper blades slightly deteriorated

rear diff slight oil leak

Pass 2 Mar 2009 110,590 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

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

Pass 27 Feb 2008 104,289 miles
Pass 1 Mar 2007 93,607 miles
Fail 1 Mar 2007 93,603 miles

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

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

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

ADVISE OFF SIDE FRONT BRAKE SLIGHTLY LOW PERFORMANCE

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

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

Pass 6 Mar 2006 83,204 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

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

R509 VCF is a 1998 BMW 540 in Red with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.3%.

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 R509 VCF, 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 R509 VCF?

You can check the full history of R509 VCF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R509 VCF registered?

R509 VCF is a 1998 BMW 540, first registered on 17 March 1998.

Is R509 VCF safe to buy?

The MOT history for R509 VCF shows 15 tests with a 73.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R509 VCF 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 R509 VCF. 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.