CarVerify

Free Car Check

R838 HEC

1998 BMW 540

Silver Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires7 Feb 2013
Tests15 (7 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate46.7%

Mileage

159,631 mi
Last recorded159,631 miles
Recorded on8 Feb 2012
Typical for 1998 BMW 540116,079 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR838 HEC
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1998
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

7 pass 8 fail
Pass 8 Feb 2012 159,631 miles
Fail 31 Jan 2012 159,623 miles

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 Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Outer Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Fail 19 Jan 2012 159,487 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)

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Nearside Inner Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Inner Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 14 Dec 2010 149,820 miles
Fail 30 Nov 2010 149,525 miles

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

Front registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Pass 8 Oct 2009 142,707 miles
Fail 2 Oct 2009 142,600 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Pass 19 Sep 2008 135,142 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 19 Sep 2008 135,142 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 18 Sep 2008 135,134 miles

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

emisions just met limits

front coil springs corroded,front discs corroded,surface corrosion on various brake pipes,rear tyres worn on inner edges,vehicle underbody fitted with plastic trims,surface corrosion on exhaust,slight blow on exhaust joint

Fail 21 Aug 2008 135,052 miles

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 Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

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

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

Pass 8 Nov 2007 129,062 miles
Fail 5 Nov 2007 129,060 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 6 Nov 2006 120,790 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2006 116,315 miles

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

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

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

R838 HEC is a 1998 BMW 540 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 46.7%.

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 R838 HEC, 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 R838 HEC?

You can check the full history of R838 HEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R838 HEC registered?

R838 HEC is a 1998 BMW 540, first registered on 2 January 1998.

Is R838 HEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R838 HEC shows 15 tests with a 46.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R838 HEC 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 R838 HEC. 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.