BMW 318i M Sport Auto: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 318i M Sport Auto passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 12.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,337 individual BMW 318i M Sport Auto tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 89.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 11 in every 100 BMW 318i M Sport Autos 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 318i M Sport Auto tested had covered 33,495 miles and was built around 2021.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 318i M Sport Auto sits 12.5 points above the national average, ranked 832 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. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific BMW 318i M Sport Auto 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 recorded closing bids for damaged BMW 318i M Sport Autos at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 318i M Sport Auto

1. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.6% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 4% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.8% of tests
4. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.8% of tests
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.9% of tests
6. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.6% of tests
7. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.5% of tests
8. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 0.4% of tests
9. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.4% of tests
10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.3% of tests

From 1,336 DVSA-tracked BMW 318i M Sport Auto tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 11.73% of these flagged BMW 318i M Sport Auto defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 318i M Sport Auto

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 318i M Sport Auto before it actually fails on it.

1. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 11.8% of tests (1.27x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 23.6% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 7% of tests, also fails
4. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.1% of tests
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 0.7% of tests
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.7% of tests, also fails
7. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.5% of tests
8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.2% of tests
9. A seat belt webbing or flexible stalk significantly stretched or weakened, 0.1% of tests
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 0.1% of tests

From 1,336 DVSA-tracked BMW 318i M Sport Auto tests, 2024.

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

• Renault Clio S Edition Tce - 89.2%
• Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed Cvt - 89.2%
• Hyundai Kona Ultimate Gdi Hev S-A - 89.2%
• Renault Zoe I Iconic Ze 50 - 89.2%
• Vauxhall Astra Sri Vx Line Nav Turbo - 89.2%
• SEAT Leon Se Dynamic Tsi - 89.2%

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
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

Embed this data

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<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/bmw-318i-m-sport-auto"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/bmw-318i-m-sport-auto.svg" width="340" height="92" alt="BMW 318i M Sport Auto MOT Pass Rate: 89.2% - Salvage Prophet"></a>

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<a href="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/mot/bmw-318i-m-sport-auto"><img src="https://www.salvageprophet.co.uk/badge/failure/bmw-318i-m-sport-auto.svg" width="340" height="106" alt="BMW 318i M Sport Auto most common MOT failure: A tyre seriously damaged (3.6% of tests) - Salvage Prophet"></a>

All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate