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R979 RLY

1997 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Jul 2027
Tests26 (17 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate65.4%

Mileage

Typical for 1997 BMW 540117,944 mi
4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR979 RLY
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

17 pass 9 fail
Pass 28 Jul 2026

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

Fail 15 Jul 2026

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Headlamp light intensity severely reduced (4.1.4 (a))

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

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Road wheel more than one fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Road wheel more than one fixing missing (5.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 24 Aug 2020 107,847 miles

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Fail 21 Aug 2020 102,030 miles

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

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 6 Aug 2019 101,074 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 21 Aug 2018 99,687 miles
Fail 18 Aug 2018 99,679 miles

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

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

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

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 24 May 2017 96,268 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Fail 23 May 2017 96,265 miles

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

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)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Pass 19 May 2016 91,185 miles
Fail 19 May 2016 91,183 miles

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 23 Apr 2015 83,279 miles

Oil leak

Fail 16 Apr 2015 83,275 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Oil leak

Pass 19 May 2014 82,039 miles

Oil leak

Pass 23 Oct 2013 79,130 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Inner 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)

Oil leak

Fail 22 Oct 2013 79,124 miles

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Offside Inner 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)

Oil leak

Pass 12 Oct 2012 73,729 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2011 66,807 miles
Pass 13 Oct 2010 61,858 miles
Pass 12 Oct 2009 55,713 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2008 48,412 miles

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

Pass 16 Oct 2007 42,526 miles
Fail 12 Oct 2007 42,499 miles

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

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

Pass 30 Sep 2006 36,153 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2005 29,673 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2005 29,673 miles

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

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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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.

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R979 RLY is a 1997 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.4%.

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 R979 RLY, 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 R979 RLY?

You can check the full history of R979 RLY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R979 RLY registered?

R979 RLY is a 1997 BMW 540, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R979 RLY safe to buy?

The MOT history for R979 RLY shows 26 tests with a 65.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R979 RLY 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 R979 RLY. 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.