BMW 316: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 316 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 0.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 10,541 individual BMW 316 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 76.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 24 in every 100 BMW 316s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average BMW 316 tested had covered 99,046 miles and was built around 2008.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a BMW 316 bought as a repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

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 316 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 what damaged BMW 316s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 316

1. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.4% of tests (4.8x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.6% of tests (1.95x the national rate for this defect)
3. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 1.6% of tests (1.9x the national rate for this defect)
4. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.2% of tests (1.76x the national rate for this defect)
5. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 1.6% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.7% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this defect)
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.4% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this defect)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.8% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this defect)
9. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this defect)
10. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.1% of tests (1.2x the national rate for this defect)

From 18,553 DVSA-tracked BMW 316 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.38% of these flagged BMW 316 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

BMW 316 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each BMW 316 year:

• 1997 BMW 316 - 71.9% first-time pass, 228 tests
• 1998 BMW 316 - 73.2% first-time pass, 250 tests
• 1999 BMW 316 - 70.1% first-time pass, 241 tests
• 2000 BMW 316 - 68% first-time pass, 269 tests
• 2001 BMW 316 - 67.7% first-time pass, 331 tests
• 2002 BMW 316 - 71.6% first-time pass, 384 tests
• 2003 BMW 316 - 69.7% first-time pass, 670 tests
• 2004 BMW 316 - 66.4% first-time pass, 619 tests
• 2010 BMW 316 - 74.6% first-time pass, 283 tests
• 2011 BMW 316 - 77.5% first-time pass, 222 tests
• 2012 BMW 316 - 71.3% first-time pass, 453 tests
• 2013 BMW 316 - 81.2% first-time pass, 1,293 tests
• 2014 BMW 316 - 81.6% first-time pass, 1,525 tests
• 2015 BMW 316 - 82.3% first-time pass, 713 tests
• 2016 BMW 316 - 81.7% first-time pass, 502 tests
• 2017 BMW 316 - 87.6% first-time pass, 759 tests
• 2018 BMW 316 - 88.9% first-time pass, 360 tests

BMW 316 by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

• Petrol BMW 316 - 74.3% first-time pass, 5,721 tests
• Diesel BMW 316 - 80.7% first-time pass, 4,719 tests

Other BMW models

• BMW 3 Series - 76.8%
• BMW 118 - 81.9%
• BMW 116 - 78.6%
• BMW X1 - 85.2%
• BMW X3 - 82.3%
• BMW X5 - 81.2%
• BMW 1 Series - 81.6%
• BMW 520 - 80.2%

Models with a similar pass rate

• BMW 645 - 76.6%
• Smart Fortwo Passion Mhd Auto Unclassified - 76.6%
• Hyundai Ix20 - 76.5%
• MINI One Clubman - 76.5%
• Peugeot 2008 - 76.4%
• BMW 120 - 76.4%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate