CarVerify

Free Car Check

R739 ULU

1997 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires18 Dec 2018
Tests18 (12 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

185,941 mi
Last recorded185,941 miles
Recorded on11 Dec 2018
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 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

RegistrationR739 ULU
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourBlue
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 6 fail
Fail 11 Dec 2018 185,941 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Brake performance not tested Brake pipe leaking (1.2.1 (g))

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake discs corroded or condition

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 12 Dec 2017 178,517 miles

Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement Both (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front fog light damage

Oil leak at engine bay ()

Fail 12 Dec 2017 178,517 miles

Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement Both (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front fog light damage

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Oil leak at engine bay ()

Pass 19 Dec 2016 172,367 miles

Offside Front body or wines damage

Offside Rear reflector slightly damaged but function not impaired (1.5.1c)

Oil leak at engine bay ()

Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt Both (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 19 Dec 2016 172,366 miles

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 Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Offside Front body or wines damage

Offside Rear reflector slightly damaged but function not impaired (1.5.1c)

Oil leak at engine bay ()

Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt Both (2.4.G.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 15 Dec 2015 167,372 miles
Fail 9 Dec 2015 167,161 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Nearside Rear Outer Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Rear Wheel nut(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b) DANGEROUS

Pass 15 Dec 2014 158,841 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2013 149,546 miles
Pass 27 Jun 2012 138,625 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 6 May 2011 130,937 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 6 May 2011 130,937 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2010 127,548 miles

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

Pass 3 Sep 2009 118,036 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 13 Sep 2008 107,863 miles
Fail 13 Sep 2008 107,863 miles

Nearside Outer Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Pass 6 Sep 2007 97,864 miles
Pass 6 Mar 2006 83,194 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

R739 ULU is a 1997 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1997 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.9% with a typical mileage of 117,944 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 R739 ULU, 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 29 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 R739 ULU?

You can check the full history of R739 ULU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R739 ULU registered?

R739 ULU is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 3 September 1997.

Is R739 ULU safe to buy?

The MOT history for R739 ULU shows 18 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R739 ULU 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 R739 ULU. 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.