Petrol BMW 218: MOT pass rate

86.8% of petrol BMW 218s pass the MOT first time, measured across 26,075 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 47,562.

Petrol against the other BMW 218 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 218 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 86.8%, and this petrol version sits 0.8 points above the 86% 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 petrol BMW 218 had covered 47,562 miles at test, against 67,497 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 218 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol BMW 218

1. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.5% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.2% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.4% of tests
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.9% of tests
5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.2% of tests
6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.2% of tests
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 1% of tests
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1% of tests
9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.7% of tests
10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.7% of tests

From 26,154 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 218 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 218's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 8.49% 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 218

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

1. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 12.2% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 3.9% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
3. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.3% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 26.3% of tests, also fails
5. A tyre seriously damaged, 12.8% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 6.7% of tests
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.8% of tests, also fails
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.3% of tests
9. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.4% of tests, also fails
10. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.9% of tests

From 26,154 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 218 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 218 fuel types

• Diesel BMW 218 - 84.9%

All BMW 218 MOT data · Every model