2004 BMW 745 4.4L Petrol · AX54 LLW

A clear pattern of suspension wear has emerged in this E65-generation BMW 745, centring on the front and rear control arm ball joints. The 2024-03-13 failure is the defining event in the record: a dangerous defect was recorded against the nearside rear upper suspension arm ball joint, which the tester judged likely to become detached, alongside a major failure on the nearside rear lower rose joint for the same component. The nearside front upper anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover had also deteriorated to the point where it no longer prevented ingress of dirt, and the offside front lower arm showed slight play at its rear ball joint. The most recent test on 2026-03-27 passed without any advisories or defects, and both the 2025 and 2024 retests were clean, indicating that whatever repair or replacement work was carried out has held for two consecutive cycles. That said, the suspension geometry on this model is known to consume bushes and joints progressively, and a single clean test should not be treated as proof that the underlying issue has been resolved permanently. The recorded oil leak, noted as not excessive at the same 2024 test, is a separate mechanical thread worth tracking, particularly given the engine layout and the typical oil weep points around the V8 unit. At 152,793 miles over roughly twenty-two years, the car has averaged around 6,945 miles per year, which sits squarely in the normal band for a vehicle of this age and means there has been no prolonged storage period that would have starved the drivetrain of regular use. The mileage gap between successive annual MOTs is consistent with steady, modest daily use rather than long-distance motorway running or extended off-road layups, so the major mechanical components have not been subjected to either extreme. The undertray advisory from 2023 suggests the underbody remains accessible for a pre-purchase inspection, which is useful given the documented suspension and oil leak history. The relatively even annual accumulation also means consumables such as brake discs, pads, and tyres are likely to have been replaced in a normal cadence rather than left to age on the car. For a prospective buyer, the priority on any inspection or test drive should be the front and rear suspension linkages that prompted the 2024 failure. Listen for clonking or knocking noises from the front and rear suspension over speed humps, uneven road surfaces, and when turning into kerbs at low speed; any play in the steering or wandering at speed would suggest worn ball joints or bushes that have reappeared since the 2024 rectification work. With the engine running from cold, look for fresh oil staining on the underside of the engine and on the driveway beneath the front of the car, paying particular attention to the area around the front crankshaft seal and the valve cover gaskets, which are common weep points on this V8 and may be the source of the advisory recorded two years ago. On the road, expect a slight vibration through the steering wheel under hard braking, as the front discs and pads will have endured significant wear given the mileage, and verify that the car pulls up straight without any pulling to one side. Finally, because the MOT history has not flagged any brake, exhaust, or corrosion advisories across the recorded tests, there is no specific evidence of subframe corrosion or brake pipe degradation, but a physical inspection of the front subframe mounting points, brake lines along the chassis, and the rear suspension trailing arms is strongly advisable on a car of this age and mileage before purchase.