Diesel BMW 3 Series: MOT pass rate
77.6% of diesel BMW 3 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 240,857 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 116,477.
Diesel against the other BMW 3 Series versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 77.6% | 240,857 |
| Petrol | 76.8% | 132,188 |
| Hybrid | 85.2% | 3,746 |
| All BMW 3 Series | 77.4% | 376,844 |
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 3 Series specifically, hybrid is the strongest at 85.2%, and this diesel version sits 0.2 points above the 77.4% 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. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average diesel BMW 3 Series had covered 116,477 miles at test, against 97,568 for the petrol and 79,365 for the hybrid. That is high mileage, so timing belts, clutches, suspension bushes and corrosion are the items worth budgeting for rather than the MOT itself.
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 3 Series page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other BMW 3 Series fuel types
- Petrol BMW 3 Series - 76.8%
- Hybrid BMW 3 Series - 85.2%