BMW 320i M Sport Auto: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 320i M Sport Auto passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 13.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 4,646 individual BMW 320i M Sport Auto tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 90.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 10 in every 100 BMW 320i 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 320i M Sport Auto tested had covered 27,818 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 320i M Sport Auto sits 13.5 points above the national average, ranked 665 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 320i 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 320i M Sport Autos at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 320i M Sport Auto

1. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.4% of tests (2.33x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.8% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.6% of tests
4. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.3% of tests
5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 1.2% of tests
6. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.5% of tests
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.5% of tests
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.4% of tests
9. Brake lining or pad worn down to wear indicator, 0.3% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this defect)
10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.2% of tests

From 4,640 DVSA-tracked BMW 320i M Sport Auto tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 10.96% of these flagged BMW 320i 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 320i 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 320i M Sport Auto before it actually fails on it.

1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 20.6% of tests, also fails
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 7% of tests, also fails
3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 6.8% of tests, also fails
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 1.1% of tests
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.1% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.8% of tests
7. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.5% of tests
8. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.4% of tests
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.3% of tests
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 0.2% of tests

From 4,640 DVSA-tracked BMW 320i M Sport Auto tests, 2024.

BMW 320i M Sport Auto pass rate by model year

From its 2020 to its 2021 model year, the BMW 320i M Sport Auto's first-time pass rate has fallen 2.5 points, from 92.6% to 90.1%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each BMW 320i M Sport Auto year:

• 2020 BMW 320i M Sport Auto - 92.6% first-time pass, 781 tests
• 2021 BMW 320i M Sport Auto - 90.1% first-time pass, 3,721 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

• Polestar Polestar 2 Plus Ev Fwd - 90.3%
• Hyundai Bayon Se Connect T-Gdi Mhev - 90.3%
• Renault Clio S Edition E-Tech Auto - 90.3%
• Peugeot 2008 Allure Prem Puretech S/S - 90.2%
• Volkswagen Tiguan Match Tdi 4motion S-A - 90.2%
• Renault Zoe I GT Line Ze 50 - 90.2%

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?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate