Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2020 BMW 740?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2020 BMW 740?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2020 BMW 740?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2020 BMW 740 reliable?

Based on MOT data from 206 vehicles, the 2020 BMW 740 has a first-time MOT pass rate of 94.8%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2020 BMW 740?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2020 BMW 740 are: Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (26.3% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (21.9% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (14.7% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2020 BMW 740?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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BMW 740 (2020)

206 real MOT outcomes analysed • 94.8% first-time pass rate

2020 BMW 740

CarHunch analysed 206 real MOT records for the 2020 BMW 740. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2020 BMW 740 hits the UK average first-time pass rate at 79.9%, meaning it's neither notably reliable nor unreliable for its age—though the diesel variant significantly outperforms at 87.1%, suggesting you should lean toward diesel if reliability matters. The dangerous defect rate sits at a modest 7.8%, which is not a major red flag, though it's worth a thorough inspection on any example you view.

At nearly 39,000 miles on average, these cars are running well below what you'd expect for a four-year-old luxury saloon, indicating careful ownership. The low failure count (0.2 per vehicle) paired with moderate advisories (1.2) suggests these are straightforward to maintain when they do need work—get a specialist pre-purchase inspection to confirm service history, as these BMWs can become expensive if deferred maintenance has been happening.

We have limited data for the 2020 BMW 740 — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

⚠️ Around 1 in 20 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

94.8%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

7.8%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.2

Over 3.2 tests on record

Low

Typical mileage

38k

Middle half: 28k–53k

For context

These stats describe 206 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 206 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 26.3%

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 9.4%

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 7.2%

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view · Offside Front Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated

Lighting 3.9%

Rear Prop shaft flexible coupling slightly deteriorated

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2020.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 206 BMW 740 cars.

Before you buy a 2020 BMW 740

Based on MOT data from 206 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 7.8% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (77%)	158	94.3%	0.23

Colour Breakdown

Based on 7,469 BMW 740 vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 25.5%

1,907

Blue 22.2%

1,657

Silver 15%

1,121

Grey 14.5%

1,081

Green 11.3%

842

Red 4.9%

363

White 4.6%

345

Purple 0.7%

Yellow 0.4%

Beige 0.4%

Brown 0.3%

Gold 0.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2020 BMW 740 vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

38,339

typical

27,715

low mileage

53,067

high mileage

Half of all 2020 BMW 740 vehicles fall between 27,715 and 53,067 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 27,715 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 27,715–53,067 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2020 BMW 740s sit.

⚠ Over 71,640 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2020 BMW 740 — Still on the Road

Almost all 2020 BMW 740s are still on the road.

Strong survival — 161 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 96% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2022–2025.

MOT History Averages

3.2

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.2

Avg failures per vehicle

1.2

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — BMW 740: All 740 years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2020 BMW 740 stacks up against a rival.

A solid choice — agree?