BMW 340i: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 340i passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 13.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 915 individual BMW 340i tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 90.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 10 in every 100 BMW 340is 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 340i tested had covered 48,899 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. The BMW 340i sits 13.4 points above the national average, ranked 687 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 340i 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 340is at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 340i

1. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.6% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.2% of tests (1.49x the national rate for this defect)
3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.4% of tests
4. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.9% of tests
5. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.7% of tests (3.57x the national rate for this defect)
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.7% of tests
7. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.5% of tests (9.34x the national rate for this defect)
8. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 0.4% of tests (1.24x the national rate for this defect)
9. A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber, 0.4% of tests (2.27x the national rate for this defect)
10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.4% of tests

From 910 DVSA-tracked BMW 340i tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 12.38% of these flagged BMW 340i defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 340i

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 340i before it actually fails on it.

1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 24.6% of tests, also fails
2. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 5.8% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.3% of tests, also fails
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 4% of tests
5. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2.2% of tests, also fails
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.1% of tests
7. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.2% of tests
8. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.2% of tests
9. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.2% of tests
10. A shock absorber which has negligible damping effect, 0.2% of tests

From 910 DVSA-tracked BMW 340i tests, 2024.

BMW 340i 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 340i year:

• 2017 BMW 340i - 89.6% first-time pass, 482 tests
• 2018 BMW 340i - 93.3% first-time pass, 208 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

• Volkswagen Golf Match Edition Tsi - 90.1%
• Volkswagen Passat R-Line Tdi S-A - 90.1%
• Peugeot 2008 Allure Puretech S/S Auto - 90.1%
• Volvo Xc60 Momentum D4 Auto - 90.1%
• Hyundai Ioniq Se Connect Hev S-A - 90.1%
• Volkswagen Tiguan Match Tdi 4motion - 90.1%

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