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R161 WLX

1998 BMW 540

Green Petrol 4398cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Apr 2027
Tests34 (21 pass, 13 fail)
Pass rate61.8%

Mileage

94,462 mi
Last recorded94,462 miles
Recorded on23 Apr 2026
Typical for 1998 BMW 540116,079 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

RegistrationR161 WLX
MakeBMW
Model540
Year1998
ColourGreen
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

21 pass 13 fail
Pass 23 Apr 2026 94,462 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2026 94,462 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 31 Mar 2025 90,462 miles
Fail 26 Mar 2025 90,454 miles

Central Rear Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (7.1.2 (e))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive n/s/f of engine bay underside (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Apr 2024 84,256 miles
Fail 16 Apr 2024 84,247 miles

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 19 Apr 2023 83,431 miles

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

Pass 22 Apr 2022 82,248 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin approx 2mm inner pads (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Hydraulic leak, but not excessive suspect power steering (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill end-covers restricting view (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Fail 21 Apr 2022 82,248 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin approx 2mm inner pads (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Hydraulic leak, but not excessive suspect power steering (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill end-covers restricting view (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 23 Apr 2021 80,522 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2019 79,337 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2019 79,337 miles

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

Pass 17 Jul 2018 77,651 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Front Side light bulb not working

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Jacking point sill area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Fail 6 Jul 2018 77,650 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Offside Front Side light bulb not working

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Jacking point sill area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Pass 8 Jun 2017 76,324 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Oil leak ()

Pass 5 Jul 2016 74,662 miles
Fail 16 Jun 2016 74,660 miles

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Body has a sharp edge caused by damage bumper corner (6.1.C.1)

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

Offside Rear Air suspension has no suspension movement (2.4.D.5)

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Obligatory mirror deteriorated, but not seriously affecting the rear view (8.1.2a)

Oil leak ()

Pass 30 Jun 2015 72,216 miles
Fail 18 Jun 2015 72,214 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 9 Jun 2014 70,198 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2013 67,733 miles
Fail 19 Jun 2013 67,731 miles

Nearside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a track control arm inner bush (2.5.B.2b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

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 Jun 2012 64,845 miles
Fail 20 Jun 2012 64,814 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 17 Jun 2011 62,988 miles
Fail 15 Jun 2011 62,984 miles

Nearside Front Lower Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

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

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

Pass 21 Jun 2010 60,128 miles
Fail 18 Jun 2010 60,127 miles

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

Nail in offside rear tyre

Pass 19 May 2009 57,160 miles
Pass 23 May 2008 53,761 miles
Fail 22 May 2008

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

Pass 29 May 2007 51,741 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2006 49,378 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2005 47,458 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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R161 WLX is a 1998 BMW 540 in Green with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 34 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.8%.

Across all 1998 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.2% with a typical mileage of 116,079 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 R161 WLX, 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 28 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 R161 WLX?

You can check the full history of R161 WLX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R161 WLX registered?

R161 WLX is a 1998 BMW 540, first registered on 26 June 1998.

Is R161 WLX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R161 WLX shows 34 tests with a 61.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R161 WLX 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 R161 WLX. 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.