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P79 GPH

1996 BMW 540

Silver Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires31 Oct 2026
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

121,634 mi
Last recorded121,634 miles
Recorded on8 Oct 2025
Typical for 1996 BMW 540125,563 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP79 GPH
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1996
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,398cc
View full BMW 540 reliability data

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 7 fail
Pass 8 Oct 2025 121,634 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive under ender engine and on cover (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 1 Nov 2024 115,475 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2024 115,475 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 15 Sep 2023 108,365 miles

Nearside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 11 Sep 2023 108,365 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 31 Oct 2022 103,314 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2021 101,003 miles
Fail 29 Oct 2021 101,003 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 17 Mar 2020 99,072 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2020 99,071 miles

Driver's airbag obviously inoperative (7.1.5 (c))

Pass 6 Mar 2019 93,749 miles
Fail 4 Mar 2019 93,749 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

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

Pass 5 Mar 2018 89,942 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2017 88,168 miles
Pass 29 Feb 2016 86,116 miles
Pass 3 Mar 2015 82,359 miles
Pass 6 Mar 2014 78,668 miles
Fail 28 Feb 2014 78,668 miles

Driver's airbag obviously defective (5.4.1)

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

Pass 12 Mar 2013 76,544 miles

Airbag warning light on

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)

Fail 11 Mar 2013 76,544 miles

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

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

Airbag warning light on

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 17 Mar 2012 71,751 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2011 71,733 miles
Pass 8 Mar 2010 71,621 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2009 71,580 miles
Pass 8 Mar 2008 70,407 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2007 63,304 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2006 61,562 miles

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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P79 GPH is a 1996 BMW 540 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

Across all 1996 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.2% with a typical mileage of 125,563 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 P79 GPH, 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 30 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 P79 GPH?

You can check the full history of P79 GPH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P79 GPH registered?

P79 GPH is a 1996 BMW 540, first registered on 2 December 1996.

Is P79 GPH safe to buy?

The MOT history for P79 GPH shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P79 GPH 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 P79 GPH. 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.