Petrol BMW 1 Series: MOT pass rate
85.8% of petrol BMW 1 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 45,358 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 59,339.
Petrol against the other BMW 1 Series versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Petrol | 85.8% | 45,358 |
| Diesel | 77.1% | 34,660 |
| All BMW 1 Series | 82% | 80,022 |
Why the fuel type changes the number
Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.
On the BMW 1 Series specifically, petrol is the strongest at 85.8%, and this petrol version sits 3.8 points above the 82% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The petrol BMW 1 Series is the stronger side of this model on MOT data. Still judge the individual car, but the fuel type is a mild point in its favour. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average petrol BMW 1 Series had covered 59,339 miles at test, against 96,777 for the diesel. That is around average, so condition and service history will tell you more than the odometer does.
Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the BMW 1 Series page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Most common MOT failures on a petrol BMW 1 Series
- Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, 0.6% of tests (2.22x the national rate for this defect)
- Emissions levels exceed default limits, 0.7% of tests (2.08x the national rate for this defect)
- A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.6% of tests (1.87x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre seriously damaged, 3.7% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this defect)
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.5% of tests
- A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.6% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.5% of tests
- Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.3% of tests
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1% of tests
- The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.9% of tests
From 45,632 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 1 Series tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 1 Series's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 7.9% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.
Most common MOT advisories on a petrol BMW 1 Series
Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.
- A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 1.5% of tests (2.62x the national rate for this defect)
- A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.6% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this defect)
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 11.1% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this defect), also fails
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 26.8% of tests, also fails
- A tyre seriously damaged, 8.8% of tests, also fails
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 5.9% of tests
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 4.1% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 3.5% of tests
- Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.3% of tests
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.2% of tests, also fails
From 45,632 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 1 Series tests, 2024.
Other BMW 1 Series fuel types
- Diesel BMW 1 Series - 77.1%