BMW 318: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 318 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 8.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 9,097 individual BMW 318 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate85.1%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+8.4 points
Tests analysed9,097
Average mileage at test63,093 miles
Average year of manufacture2017
Reliability rank1,234 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 85.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 15 in every 100 BMW 318s 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 318 tested had covered 63,093 miles and was built around 2017.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a BMW 318 bought as a 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 318 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 318s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 318

  1. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.3% of tests (2.04x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.2% of tests (1.71x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.3% of tests (1.38x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.9% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
  5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.7% of tests
  6. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.6% of tests
  7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.9% of tests
  8. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.8% of tests
  9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.8% of tests
  10. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.8% of tests

From 14,954 DVSA-tracked BMW 318 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 7.62% of these flagged BMW 318 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

BMW 318 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 318 year:

BMW 318 by fuel type

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

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate