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S40 GHM

2001 BMW 540

Purple Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 Sep 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

200,427 mi
Last recorded200,427 miles
Recorded on1 Sep 2025
Typical for 2001 BMW 540106,299 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationS40 GHM
MakeBMW
Model540
Year2001
ColourPurple
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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 1 Sep 2025 200,427 miles
Pass 29 Aug 2024 199,023 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2023 197,740 miles

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Pass 23 Aug 2022 197,272 miles
Pass 18 Aug 2021 196,704 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated upper front outer track control arm (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play upper front track control arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play upper front track control arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 12 Aug 2021 196,680 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated upper front outer track control arm (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play upper front track control arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint has slight play upper front track control arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 18 Aug 2020 196,077 miles

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Outer Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 3 Jul 2019 195,235 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2018 193,159 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2017 191,940 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2016 190,400 miles
Fail 27 Jun 2016 190,382 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Pass 17 Jun 2015 189,690 miles
Pass 16 May 2014 187,543 miles
Fail 12 May 2014 187,537 miles

Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Pass 11 May 2013 170,663 miles
Pass 12 May 2012 145,587 miles
Pass 6 May 2011 127,713 miles
Fail 3 May 2011 127,770 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Rear rear brakes release unevenly (3.7.B.4)

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

Pass 24 Apr 2010 122,541 miles
Fail 22 Apr 2010 122,537 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Pass 30 Apr 2009 114,546 miles
Pass 9 Apr 2008 109,115 miles
Fail 9 Apr 2008 109,115 miles

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 5 Apr 2007 96,124 miles

very slight play in rear hub carrier bearings

Pass 10 Jan 2006 83,725 miles

all brake discs poor

n/s front wheel out of shape

wiper blades smeary

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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S40 GHM is a 2001 BMW 540 in Purple with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

Across all 2001 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.0% with a typical mileage of 106,299 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 S40 GHM, 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 25 years old, this BMW 540 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of S40 GHM?

You can check the full history of S40 GHM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S40 GHM registered?

S40 GHM is a 2001 BMW 540, first registered on 12 February 2001.

Is S40 GHM safe to buy?

The MOT history for S40 GHM shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S40 GHM 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 S40 GHM. 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.