Diesel BMW 125: MOT pass rate

82.9% of diesel BMW 125s pass the MOT first time, measured across 2,146 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 89,080.

Diesel against the other BMW 125 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the BMW 125 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 83.5%, and this diesel version sits 0.3 points below the 83.2% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. 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 diesel BMW 125 had covered 89,080 miles at test, against 76,414 for the petrol. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.

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

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 125

1. A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber, 0.8% of tests (4.07x 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, 3% of tests (3.13x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.5% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 3.6% of tests
5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.4% of tests
6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.4% of tests
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.1% of tests
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1.1% of tests
9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.9% of tests
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.8% of tests

From 2,154 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 125 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 125's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 8.74% 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 diesel BMW 125

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

1. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 2.6% of tests (2.39x 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 (1.34x the national rate for this defect), also fails
3. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 1.1% of tests (1.32x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 29.2% of tests, also fails
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 10.3% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.8% of tests
7. A tyre seriously damaged, 7.4% of tests, also fails
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.6% of tests, also fails
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 3.5% of tests
10. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.7% of tests

From 2,154 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 125 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 125 fuel types

• Petrol BMW 125 - 83.5%

All BMW 125 MOT data · Every model