Petrol BMW 316: MOT pass rate

74.3% of petrol BMW 316s pass the MOT first time, measured across 5,721 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 94,037.

Petrol against the other BMW 316 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 316 specifically, diesel is the strongest at 80.7%, and this petrol version sits 2.9 points below the 77.2% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

The petrol BMW 316 fails more often than the model average, so budget for the items that catch this fuel type and treat a fresh MOT as worth paying for. 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 316 had covered 94,037 miles at test, against 106,998 for the diesel. That is above average, the point where suspension bushes, drop links and exhaust corrosion start showing up as advisories before they become failures.

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 316 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol BMW 316

1. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 2.8% of tests (7.96x the national rate for this defect)
2. Emissions levels exceed the manufacturer's specified limits, 2.1% of tests (7.81x the national rate for this defect)
3. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 1.7% of tests (4.04x the national rate for this defect)
4. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 1.7% of tests (3.32x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 3% of tests (2.76x the national rate for this defect)
6. 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, 2.6% of tests (2.76x the national rate for this defect)
7. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.7% of tests (2.08x the national rate for this defect)
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.8% of tests (1.6x the national rate for this defect)
9. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.4% of tests (1.44x the national rate for this defect)
10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 7% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this defect)

From 5,790 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 316 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 316's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 3.6% 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 316

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

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 6.1% of tests (10.88x the national rate for this defect)
2. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 22.9% of tests (4.12x the national rate for this defect)
3. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 5% of tests (3.92x the national rate for this defect)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 20.4% of tests (3.3x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 6.1% of tests (2.3x the national rate for this defect)
6. 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, 3.5% of tests (2.28x the national rate for this defect), also fails
7. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 5.4% of tests (1.89x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 20.3% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this defect), also fails
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 21.8% of tests
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 15.6% of tests

From 5,790 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 316 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 316 fuel types

• Diesel BMW 316 - 80.7%

All BMW 316 MOT data · Every model