BMW 218i M Sport: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 218i M Sport passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 11.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 3,658 individual BMW 218i M Sport tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate88.3%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+11.6 points
Tests analysed3,658
Average mileage at test29,702 miles
Average year of manufacture2020
Reliability rank948 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 88.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 12 in every 100 BMW 218i M Sports presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average BMW 218i M Sport tested had covered 29,702 miles and was built around 2020.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 218i M Sport sits 11.6 points above the national average, ranked 948 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

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 218i M Sport 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 recorded closing bids for damaged BMW 218i M Sports at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 218i M Sport

  1. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.5% of tests (2.61x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.9% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect)
  3. Audible warning inoperative, 0.5% of tests (1.65x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.8% of tests
  5. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.4% of tests
  6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.7% of tests
  7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.4% of tests
  8. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.4% of tests
  9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.4% of tests
  10. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.3% of tests

From 3,656 DVSA-tracked BMW 218i M Sport tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 8.74% of these flagged BMW 218i M Sport defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 218i M Sport

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a BMW 218i M Sport before it actually fails on it.

  1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 19% of tests, also fails
  2. A tyre seriously damaged, 17% of tests, also fails
  3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 6.6% of tests, also fails
  4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 2.2% of tests
  5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.2% of tests
  6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.1% of tests
  7. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.5% of tests
  8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.3% of tests
  9. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 0.2% of tests
  10. Number plate missing or so insecure that it is likely to fall off, 0.1% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this advisory)

From 3,656 DVSA-tracked BMW 218i M Sport tests, 2024.

BMW 218i M Sport pass rate by model year

From its 2020 to its 2021 model year, the BMW 218i M Sport's first-time pass rate has fallen 1 points, from 89.3% to 88.3%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each BMW 218i M Sport year:

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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BMW 218i M Sport MOT pass rate badge: 88.3%

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BMW 218i M Sport most common MOT failure: Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator (0.5% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate