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V42 GRF

1999 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Nov 2026
Tests18 (16 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate88.9%

Mileage

171,472 mi
Last recorded171,472 miles
Recorded on15 Nov 2025
Typical for 1999 BMW 540107,004 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationV42 GRF
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1999
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 2 fail
Pass 15 Nov 2025 171,472 miles

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Both inner sill surface corrosion (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Direction indicator slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (4.4.3 (b))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 28 Aug 2023 171,458 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2022 159,202 miles
Pass 7 Feb 2021 168,219 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2020 164,483 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2019 162,380 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2018 158,734 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2017 156,774 miles
Pass 7 Feb 2016 154,711 miles
Pass 20 Jun 2014 151,446 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Offside Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 22 Mar 2013 144,619 miles

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

Offside Front 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 23 Mar 2012 137,353 miles
Fail 22 Mar 2012 137,353 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a) DANGEROUS

Pass 16 Mar 2011 132,324 miles

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)

advise both front head lamps starting to mist up inside.

advise front brake discs scored+corroded on inside face

advise rear brake pipes starting to corrode

Pass 25 Mar 2010 126,037 miles

advise full brake check

advise n/s/f + o/s f head lamp aim starting to fade water in lamps

advise rear brake pipes starting to corrode

Pass 6 Oct 2008 119,000 miles

brake pades to be checked all round.

front head lamps have condensaytion.

o/s/f tyre tracked off / o/s/r tyre worn on edges.

Pass 28 Sep 2006 110,154 miles
Fail 28 Sep 2006 110,154 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Oil leak

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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V42 GRF is a 1999 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 88.9%.

Across all 1999 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.8% with a typical mileage of 107,004 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 V42 GRF, 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 27 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 V42 GRF?

You can check the full history of V42 GRF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was V42 GRF registered?

V42 GRF is a 1999 BMW 540, first registered on 15 October 1999.

Is V42 GRF safe to buy?

The MOT history for V42 GRF shows 18 tests with a 88.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does V42 GRF 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 V42 GRF. 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.