CarVerify

Free Car Check

LW51 ZHU

2001 BMW 540

Silver Petrol 4398cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Jul 2026
Tests11 (7 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

99,588 mi
Last recorded99,588 miles
Recorded on25 Jul 2025
Typical for 2001 BMW 540106,299 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationLW51 ZHU
MakeBMW
Model540
Year2001
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,398cc
View full BMW 540 reliability data

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

7 pass 4 fail
Pass 25 Jul 2025 99,588 miles

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

Fail 25 Jul 2025 99,588 miles

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 22 Mar 2024 96,484 miles

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

Pass 5 Oct 2022 93,689 miles

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

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

Fail 4 Oct 2022 93,686 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 5 Oct 2021 83,331 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both front (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Coolant leak ()

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

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both rear tyres badly worn on inside edge (requires attention) (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 1 Oct 2021 83,330 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn lower arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn top ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm ball joint likely to become detached top ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both front (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Coolant leak ()

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

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both rear tyres badly worn on inside edge (requires attention) (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 15 Sep 2020 75,090 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 4 Dec 2018 57,985 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Fail 4 Dec 2018 57,985 miles

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Pass 26 May 2017 39,401 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

LW51 ZHU is a 2001 BMW 540 in Silver with a 4,398cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 11 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

Across all 2001 BMW 540 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.0% with a typical mileage of 106,299 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

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 LW51 ZHU, 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 25 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 LW51 ZHU?

You can check the full history of LW51 ZHU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was LW51 ZHU registered?

LW51 ZHU is a 2001 BMW 540, first registered on 1 September 2001.

Is LW51 ZHU safe to buy?

The MOT history for LW51 ZHU shows 11 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does LW51 ZHU 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 LW51 ZHU. 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.