BMW 435: MOT pass rate and reliability data
The BMW 435 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 8.6 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 12,899 individual BMW 435 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.
The numbers
| First-time pass rate | 85.3% |
| UK national average | 76.7% |
| Difference | +8.6 points |
| Tests analysed | 12,899 |
| Average mileage at test | 68,290 miles |
| Average year of manufacture | 2016 |
| Reliability rank | 1,221 of 2,005 models |
What this means if you are buying one
A 85.3% first-time pass rate means roughly 15 in every 100 BMW 435s 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 435 tested had covered 68,290 miles and was built around 2016.
What this means at salvage auction
Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 435 sits 8.6 points above the national average, ranked 1,221 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 435 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 435s at UK salvage auction.
Most common MOT failures on a BMW 435
- Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.8% of tests (13.45x the national rate for this defect)
- Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.5% of tests (2.9x the national rate for this defect)
- 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, 0.5% of tests (2.6x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre seriously damaged, 5.9% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect)
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 1.6% of tests (1.66x the national rate for this defect)
- A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.6% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this defect)
- A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.5% of tests (1.53x the national rate for this defect)
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.9% of tests
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.3% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.9% of tests
From 12,891 DVSA-tracked BMW 435 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 10.79% of these flagged BMW 435 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.
Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 435
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 435 before it actually fails on it.
- Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 27.3% of tests, also fails
- Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 9.5% of tests
- a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 7.7% of tests, also fails
- A tyre seriously damaged, 5.4% of tests, also fails
- A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.1% of tests, also fails
- A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 3.3% of tests, also fails
- Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2.3% of tests
- Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.7% of tests
- A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.9% of tests
- Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.8% of tests
From 12,891 DVSA-tracked BMW 435 tests, 2024.
BMW 435 pass rate by model year
From its 2014 to its 2019 model year, the BMW 435's first-time pass rate has risen 5.6 points, from 84% to 89.6%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each BMW 435 year:
- 2014 BMW 435 - 84% first-time pass, 1,844 tests
- 2015 BMW 435 - 85.2% first-time pass, 3,753 tests
- 2016 BMW 435 - 85.7% first-time pass, 2,806 tests
- 2017 BMW 435 - 85.3% first-time pass, 2,077 tests
- 2018 BMW 435 - 87.4% first-time pass, 1,352 tests
- 2019 BMW 435 - 89.6% first-time pass, 652 tests
- 2020 BMW 435 - 89.1% first-time pass, 201 tests
BMW 435 by fuel type
The BMW 435's two most-tested fuel types split by 0.2 points: diesel passes first time 85.6% of the time (10,700 tests) against 85.8% for petrol (2,148 tests).
- Diesel BMW 435 - 85.6% first-time pass, 10,700 tests
- Petrol BMW 435 - 85.8% first-time pass, 2,148 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
- BMW 5 Series - 85.3%
- Tesla Model 3 Long Range Awd - 85.3%
- BMW 430 - 85.3%
- Citroen C4 Shine Puretech S/S - 85.3%
- Volkswagen Caddy C20 Commerce Tdi - 85.3%
- Vauxhall Vx220 - 85.3%
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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