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R796 URX

1997 BMW 540

Silver Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Apr 2027
Tests19 (13 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate68.4%

Mileage

137,263 mi
Last recorded137,263 miles
Recorded on7 Apr 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR796 URX
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

13 pass 6 fail
Pass 7 Apr 2026 137,263 miles

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

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

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Fail 23 Oct 2018

Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Nearside Headlamp lens seriously defective (4.1.1 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp lens seriously defective (4.1.1 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

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

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

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

engine misfire

Pass 23 Mar 2017

Offside Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

Oil leak ()

Pass 29 Mar 2016

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 22 Mar 2016

Nearside 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 Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 17 Mar 2015 126,456 miles

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 17 Mar 2015 126,456 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 27 Mar 2014 121,699 miles

Oil leak

Fail 27 Mar 2014 121,699 miles

Nearside Rear Direction indicators incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Oil leak

Pass 25 Mar 2013 120,584 miles
Pass 8 Mar 2012 117,122 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2011 115,762 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 10 Mar 2010 113,706 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2010 113,706 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 30 Apr 2009 109,890 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2008 103,115 miles

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

Pass 30 Apr 2007 100,405 miles

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

Fail 27 Apr 2007 100,405 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Pass 7 Apr 2006 91,883 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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R796 URX is a 1997 BMW 540 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.4%.

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 R796 URX, 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 R796 URX?

You can check the full history of R796 URX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R796 URX registered?

R796 URX is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 26 November 1997.

Is R796 URX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R796 URX shows 19 tests with a 68.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R796 URX 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 R796 URX. 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.