1997 BMW 8404.4L Petrol

The vehicle currently lacks a valid MOT certificate, having failed its most recent test on 17 December 2025. The maintenance trend appears stable but stagnant, as the car passed cleanly in December 2024, December 2023, and December 2022. The lack of recorded defects during these passes suggests a vehicle that has been kept in a roadworthy state, though the most recent failure without listed defects is an anomaly that requires clarification from the seller. The mileage is exceptionally low for a 29 year old vehicle, averaging roughly 3,618 miles per year. Between December 2022 and December 2025, the odometer moved only 467 miles, from 104,466 to 104,933. This pattern indicates the car has spent significant periods standing still rather than being used for regular transport. Low usage often leads to specific mechanical degradations that MOT tests may not immediately catch. A buyer must check for perished rubber components, including suspension bushes and tyre sidewall cracking, as these degrade with age regardless of mileage. The brake system requires a thorough inspection for binding calipers or pitted brake discs caused by prolonged inactivity. Given the age of this BMW 840, structural integrity is the primary concern. You should inspect the chassis and sills for corrosion, as the clean MOT history does not guarantee the absence of surface rust or structural oxidation in hidden areas. Verify the current operational status of the engine and drivetrain to ensure the vehicle has not suffered from seals drying out during its periods of dormancy.