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R831 NJW

1997 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Jan 2027
Tests24 (16 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

265,789 mi
Last recorded265,789 miles
Recorded on5 Jan 2026
Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR831 NJW
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

16 pass 8 fail
Pass 5 Jan 2026 265,789 miles
Fail 5 Jan 2026 265,789 miles

Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 23 Jan 2025 264,549 miles

Rear Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security inner sills (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 26 Jan 2024 263,407 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2022 263,386 miles

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

Pass 25 Nov 2021 256,444 miles

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

Pass 12 Dec 2020 251,379 miles

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

Fail 12 Dec 2020 251,379 miles

Nearside Rear Brake inadequately mounted flexi and pipe (1.1.21 (c))

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

Pass 30 Jul 2019 248,100 miles

Central Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

both rear parking brake efforts low

Fail 26 Jul 2019 248,100 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high aim very high /no pattern/unable to ajust (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner and outer sills (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high to high/ no pattern / unable to ajust (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner and outer sills (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Central Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

both rear parking brake efforts low

Pass 3 Oct 2013 240,150 miles
Fail 28 Sep 2013 239,987 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 15 Oct 2012 229,332 miles
Fail 6 Oct 2012 229,022 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 4 Oct 2011 220,529 miles
Fail 1 Oct 2011 220,529 miles

Nearside Front Mechanical brake component locking device missing (3.5.1l)

Pass 5 Oct 2010 210,326 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2010 210,626 miles

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

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

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

Pass 15 Oct 2009 201,104 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2008 186,958 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2007 169,668 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Pass 19 Oct 2006 153,866 miles
Fail 17 Oct 2006 153,786 miles

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

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

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

Pass 26 Oct 2005 136,633 miles

advise stone chips in windscreen in zone a on limit

o/s/r top hub ball joint has slight play

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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R831 NJW is a 1997 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 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 R831 NJW, 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 R831 NJW?

You can check the full history of R831 NJW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R831 NJW registered?

R831 NJW is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 18 November 1997.

Is R831 NJW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R831 NJW shows 24 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 R831 NJW 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 R831 NJW. 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.