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Y42 ULA

2001 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Sep 2026
Tests18 (16 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate88.9%

Mileage

179,432 mi
Last recorded179,432 miles
Recorded on29 Aug 2025
Typical for 2001 BMW 540106,299 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationY42 ULA
MakeBMW
Model540
Year2001
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 29 Aug 2025 179,432 miles

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

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

Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Fail 29 Aug 2025 179,432 miles

Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect both sides (4.1.2 (c))

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

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

Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Aug 2024 175,955 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2023 174,209 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2022 172,456 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2017 161,099 miles
Pass 30 Mar 2016 156,260 miles

Nearside 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 Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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)

Pass 31 Mar 2015 151,389 miles

rear exhaust heat shield loose

Pass 11 Jan 2014 144,531 miles

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

Pass 5 Apr 2013 129,023 miles

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 16 Feb 2012 114,649 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

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

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

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 16 Feb 2011 109,092 miles

Nearside Rear 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)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 16 Dec 2009 102,900 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 10 Dec 2008 96,714 miles

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

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

Pass 18 Dec 2007 90,945 miles

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

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

Pass 3 Jan 2007 84,400 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2006 78,667 miles
Fail 9 Jan 2006 78,667 miles

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)

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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Y42 ULA is a 2001 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 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 Y42 ULA, 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 Y42 ULA?

You can check the full history of Y42 ULA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was Y42 ULA registered?

Y42 ULA is a 2001 BMW 540, first registered on 19 March 2001.

Is Y42 ULA safe to buy?

The MOT history for Y42 ULA 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 Y42 ULA 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 Y42 ULA. 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.