BMW 3 Series: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 3 Series passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 0.1 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 379,649 individual BMW 3 Series tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate76.8%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+0.1 points
Tests analysed379,649
Average mileage at test108,146 miles
Average year of manufacture2010
Reliability rank1,555 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 76.8% first-time pass rate means roughly 23 in every 100 BMW 3 Series 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 3 Series tested had covered 108,146 miles and was built around 2010.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 3 Series sits 0.1 points above the national average, ranked 1,555 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. See how it stacks up against the Ford Fiesta.

Looking at a specific BMW 3 Series 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 the median recorded closing bid for a damaged BMW 3 Series: £500 at UK salvage auction, from 148 ended listings, not independently confirmed sales.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 3 Series

  1. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3.6% of tests (3.84x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.1% of tests (1.62x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.5% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1% of tests (1.51x the national rate for this defect)
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 4% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
  6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.6% of tests (1.18x the national rate for this defect)
  8. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.3% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)
  9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 3.8% of tests
  10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.5% of tests

From 379,628 DVSA-tracked BMW 3 Series tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.85% of these flagged BMW 3 Series defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 3 Series

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 3 Series before it actually fails on it.

  1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 8.8% of tests (15.67x the national rate for this advisory)
  2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 8.4% of tests (2.16x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  3. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 9.4% of tests (1.69x the national rate for this advisory)
  4. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 1.8% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this advisory)
  5. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 3.4% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this advisory)
  6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 7.6% of tests (1.23x the national rate for this advisory)
  7. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 32.6% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 14% of tests, also fails
  9. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 10.9% of tests
  10. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 9.5% of tests

From 379,628 DVSA-tracked BMW 3 Series tests, 2024.

BMW 3 Series pass rate by model year

From its 1990 to its 2021 model year, the BMW 3 Series's first-time pass rate has risen 7.5 points, from 82.6% to 90.1%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each BMW 3 Series year:

BMW 3 Series by fuel type

The BMW 3 Series's two most-tested fuel types split by 0.8 points: diesel passes first time 77.6% of the time (240,857 tests) against 76.8% for petrol (132,188 tests).

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

Embed this data

Run a site about the BMW 3 Series? Embed the real DVSA pass-rate badge free, linked back to this page.

BMW 3 Series MOT pass rate badge: 76.8%

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/bmw-3-series"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/bmw-3-series.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="BMW 3 Series MOT Pass Rate: 76.8% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

Run a garage or parts site? Embed the BMW 3 Series's top real failure reason instead, linked back here.

BMW 3 Series most common MOT failure: A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage (3.6% of tests)

<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/bmw-3-series"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/bmw-3-series.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="BMW 3 Series most common MOT failure: A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage (3.6% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate