CarVerify

Free Car Check

CN53 VLX

2003 BMW 540

Blue Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Sep 2026
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

177,961 mi
Last recorded177,961 miles
Recorded on12 Aug 2025
Typical for 2003 BMW 54092,425 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationCN53 VLX
MakeBMW
Model540
Year2003
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 5 fail
Pass 12 Aug 2025 177,961 miles

Front Side repeater slightly discoloured N/S & O/S (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

Pass 10 Sep 2024 173,173 miles

Nearside Side repeater slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Side repeater slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Fail 12 Jan 2024 173,115 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Offside Front Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an induction leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 9 Jan 2023 170,436 miles
Pass 20 Sep 2021 169,711 miles

Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both reaction (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Fail 2 Sep 2021 169,708 miles

Front Brake pipe excessively corroded both (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both reaction (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 15 Oct 2020 169,615 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill/jack point (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both reaction (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 24 Sep 2019 165,695 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2018 158,758 miles

Nearside Front Inner wheel arch cover damaged and loose

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

winter tyres fitted to rear wheels

Fail 7 Sep 2018 158,758 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Oil leaking excessively from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Front Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Inner wheel arch cover damaged and loose

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

winter tyres fitted to rear wheels

Pass 21 Aug 2017 152,460 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 1 Sep 2016 142,854 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Front Tyre worn on outer edge

Nearside Rear Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component In the vicinity of power steering reservoir (2.3.3b)

Pass 10 Jun 2015 134,377 miles

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 24 Mar 2014 122,074 miles

Tow ball/hitch not fitted at time of test

Pass 11 Apr 2013 116,240 miles

Nearside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 16 Apr 2012 110,219 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2011 105,376 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2010 98,503 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2009 87,020 miles

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 24 Apr 2008 73,833 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2007 60,733 miles
Fail 6 Sep 2007 60,731 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 2 Aug 2006 37,120 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2005 32,920 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

CN53 VLX is a 2003 BMW 540 in Blue with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

Across all 2003 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 76.9% with a typical mileage of 92,425 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 CN53 VLX, 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 23 years old, this BMW 540 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of CN53 VLX?

You can check the full history of CN53 VLX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was CN53 VLX registered?

CN53 VLX is a 2003 BMW 540, first registered on 23 October 2003.

Is CN53 VLX safe to buy?

The MOT history for CN53 VLX shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does CN53 VLX 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 CN53 VLX. 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.