Petrol BMW 420: MOT pass rate
87.1% of petrol BMW 420s pass the MOT first time, measured across 20,942 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 48,201.
Petrol against the other BMW 420 versions
| Fuel | Pass rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 84.4% | 41,928 |
| Petrol | 87.1% | 20,942 |
| All BMW 420 | 85.3% | 62,870 |
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 420 specifically, petrol is the strongest at 87.1%, and this petrol version sits 1.8 points above the 85.3% model average.
What it means if you are buying one
The petrol BMW 420 is the stronger side of this model on MOT data. Still judge the individual car, but the fuel type is a mild point in its favour. Check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.
Mileage is part of the answer
The average petrol BMW 420 had covered 48,201 miles at test, against 75,623 for the diesel. That is below average for a car this age, worth a mileage-consistency check since an unusually low reading is sometimes clocking rather than luck.
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 420 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.
Other BMW 420 fuel types
- Diesel BMW 420 - 84.4%