BMW 123: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 123 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 3.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 3,319 individual BMW 123 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate73.2%
UK national average76.7%
Difference-3.5 points
Tests analysed3,319
Average mileage at test120,863 miles
Average year of manufacture2009
Reliability rank1,673 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 73.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 27 in every 100 BMW 123s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average BMW 123 tested had covered 120,863 miles and was built around 2009.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a BMW 123 bought as a repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific BMW 123 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see what damaged BMW 123s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 123

  1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 0.8% of tests (10.23x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 5.2% of tests (7.48x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 1% of tests (4.29x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 1.2% of tests (2.81x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 4% of tests (1.75x the national rate for this defect)
  6. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
  7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.7% of tests (1.35x the national rate for this defect)
  8. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect)
  9. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 1.3% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
  10. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.1% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this defect)

From 6,198 DVSA-tracked BMW 123 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.55% of these flagged BMW 123 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

BMW 123 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each BMW 123 year:

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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BMW 123 MOT pass rate badge: 73.2%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate