Used car guide

2017 BMW 640: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2017 BMW 640s, from 1,015 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,015MOT tests in 2025
83%pass first time (all 2017 cars: 78%)
7,900typical miles a year
3.3×the usual rate for wheels

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2017 BMW 640s than on all cars registered in 2017.

  • Wheels3.3× usual
    BMW 640
    3.3% All 2017 cars
    1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.2%, against 0.3% of all 2017 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £70–£150 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

Better than most

Brake discs: 4.5% here, against 11.5% of all 2017 cars. Brake pads: 4.8% here, against 10.6% of all 2017 cars.

By area

The share of 2017 BMW 640 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    23% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Brakes
    10% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    7% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

  • Suspension
    6% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    6% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    1% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Looking at a BMW 640?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2018628Tyres 22%
20161,743Tyres 24%
20151,855Tyres 27%
20141,868Tyres 28%
20131,188Tyres 27%
2012912Tyres 27%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2017 BMW 640s registered in 2017. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score