CarVerify

Free Car Check

R821 VBL

1998 BMW 540

Black Lpg 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires7 Aug 2015
Tests19 (10 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate52.6%

Mileage

181,237 mi
Last recorded181,237 miles
Recorded on2 Dec 2015
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

RegistrationR821 VBL
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1998
ColourBlack
Fuel typeLpg
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

10 pass 9 fail
Fail 2 Dec 2015 181,237 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bearing (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

oil leak

Fail 15 Oct 2015 181,138 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Front Headlamp aim too low o/s and n/s (1.8)

Nearside Rear Outer Radius arm has excessive play in a pin/bush hub mounting bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded outer sill (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Outer Radius arm has excessive play in a pin/bush hub mounting bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Road wheel badly damaged and fractured (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Rear Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded floor to sill in several places (5.2.6)

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill (5.2.6)

both fuel pipes 1st stages of corrosion, efficient at test.

plastic covers fitted to underbody and outer sills on both sides.

Pass 8 Aug 2014 170,799 miles

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

Offside Front Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

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

head lights giving a blue white light on dip beam

o/s/f tyre worn on inner edge of tread

Fail 8 Aug 2014 170,799 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

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

Offside Front Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

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

head lights giving a blue white light on dip beam

o/s/f tyre worn on inner edge of tread

Pass 18 Sep 2013 166,902 miles

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

Oil leak

Fail 18 Sep 2013 166,902 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Sep 2012 160,641 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Offside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

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

Pass 18 Oct 2011 155,494 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

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

Oil leak

Fail 18 Oct 2011 155,493 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

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

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

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

Oil leak

Pass 21 Oct 2010 151,769 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

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

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Fail 20 Oct 2010 151,769 miles

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

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)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

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

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Fail 20 Oct 2009 146,595 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Oct 2009 146,595 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2008 141,721 miles

Offside Rear Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

o/s/r tyre worn to 2-3mm

Fail 17 Oct 2008 141,518 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged sufficient to obstruct correct operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Rear Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

o/s/r tyre worn to 2-3mm

Pass 16 Oct 2007 122,962 miles
Fail 5 Oct 2007 122,510 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 30 Oct 2006 11,141 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2005 102,971 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

R821 VBL is a 1998 BMW 540 in Black with a 4,398cc lpg engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 52.6%.

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 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 R821 VBL, 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 R821 VBL?

You can check the full history of R821 VBL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R821 VBL registered?

R821 VBL is a 1998 BMW 540, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R821 VBL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R821 VBL shows 19 tests with a 52.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R821 VBL 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 R821 VBL. 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.