Petrol BMW 118: MOT pass rate

87.3% of petrol BMW 118s pass the MOT first time, measured across 79,582 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 47,096.

Petrol against the other BMW 118 versions

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 118 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 87.3%, and this petrol version sits 5 points above the 82.3% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The petrol BMW 118 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 118 had covered 47,096 miles at test, against 100,920 for the diesel. That is below average for a car this age, worth a mileage-consistency check since an unusually low reading is sometimes clocking rather than luck.

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 118 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol BMW 118

1. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.4% of tests (2.22x the national rate for this defect)
2. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.4% of tests (1.34x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.7% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.8% of tests
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.6% of tests
6. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.3% of tests
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.2% of tests
8. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.1% of tests
9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.7% of tests
10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.7% of tests

From 79,933 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 118 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 118's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 7.43% 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 118

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 1.8% of tests (3.29x the national rate for this defect)
2. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.4% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 25.6% of tests, also fails
4. A tyre seriously damaged, 13.9% of tests, also fails
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.5% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 6.7% of tests
7. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.3% of tests
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.9% of tests
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.3% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.1% of tests, also fails

From 79,933 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 118 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 118 fuel types

• Diesel BMW 118 - 76.7%

All BMW 118 MOT data · Every model