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R791 URH

1997 BMW 540

Green Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 May 2027
Tests25 (16 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate64%

Mileage

214,238 mi
Last recorded214,238 miles
Recorded on26 May 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR791 URH
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

16 pass 9 fail
Pass 26 May 2026 214,238 miles

Rear Inner both sills corroded

Pass 26 May 2025 213,510 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin both sides (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both sides (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 2 Mar 2024 212,612 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin both sides (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both sides (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 18 Feb 2023 211,021 miles

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

Pass 28 Feb 2022 210,106 miles

Front tyres wearing inner edges 235/45/17

Nearside Rear Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 27 Feb 2021 208,713 miles

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 18 Oct 2019 206,480 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 9 Oct 2019 206,477 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Road wheel fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Oct 2018 205,107 miles

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

Fail 15 Oct 2018 205,107 miles

Offside Front Windscreen wiper missing (3.4 (a))

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

Pass 15 Aug 2016 176,382 miles
Fail 15 May 2015 205,001 miles

Stop lamp remains on when the brakes are released (1.2.1e) DANGEROUS

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

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Nearside Outer Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Non obligatory mirror damaged

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

Offside Outer Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 23 Jul 2013 202,211 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2012 199,648 miles

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

Pass 7 Jun 2011 198,108 miles

slight damage to side wall on o/s/r tyre

Fail 4 Jun 2011 198,087 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

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

tyre pressures low

Pass 4 Jun 2010 197,002 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2010 196,992 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

Pass 5 Jun 2009 194,576 miles

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 4 Jun 2009 194,576 miles

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

o/s/r park brake noisey on application

Pass 7 Jun 2008 192,068 miles
Fail 3 Jun 2008 192,040 miles

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

Offside Obligatory mirror seriously deteriorated, affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

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

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

Fail 16 May 2008

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)

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

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 27 Feb 2008 191,835 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)

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

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

slight fluid leak, power steering reservoir

Pass 22 Feb 2007 187,338 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

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R791 URH is a 1997 BMW 540 in Green with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64%.

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 R791 URH, 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 R791 URH?

You can check the full history of R791 URH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R791 URH registered?

R791 URH is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R791 URH safe to buy?

The MOT history for R791 URH shows 25 tests with a 64% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R791 URH 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 R791 URH. 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.