BMW 528: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 528 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 1.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,950 individual BMW 528 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 77.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 22 in every 100 BMW 528s 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 528 tested had covered 99,793 miles and was built around 2006.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 528 sits 1.2 points above the national average, ranked 1,522 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 528 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 528s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 528

1. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 1.7% of tests (4.23x the national rate for this defect)
2. Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 2.2% of tests (2.97x the national rate for this defect)
3. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.5% of tests (1.89x the national rate for this defect)
4. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 3.1% of tests (1.83x the national rate for this defect)
5. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 1.5% of tests (1.63x the national rate for this defect)
6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.7% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this defect)
7. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 3.6% of tests (1.55x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4% of tests
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.4% of tests
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.3% of tests

From 1,946 DVSA-tracked BMW 528 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.69% of these flagged BMW 528 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 528

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 528 before it actually fails on it.

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 4.9% of tests (8.71x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 13.5% of tests (2.42x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.9% of tests (2.35x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 12.8% of tests (2.07x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. Product on the lens or light source which obviously reduces light intensity or changes emitted colour to other than white or yellow, 1.8% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this advisory)
6. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.1% of tests (1.39x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 16.2% of tests (1.21x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 3.1% of tests (1.16x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 24.3% of tests
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 11.3% of tests, also fails

From 1,946 DVSA-tracked BMW 528 tests, 2024.

BMW 528 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 528 year:

• 1999 BMW 528 - 67.5% first-time pass, 228 tests
• 2000 BMW 528 - 69.9% first-time pass, 209 tests
• 2015 BMW 528 - 88.9% first-time pass, 243 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

• Subaru Impreza - 78%
• Jaguar Xf - 77.9%
• Skoda Rapid - 77.9%
• DS Ds5 - 77.9%
• Citroen Berlingo 1000 Driver Bluehdi - 77.9%
• MINI Countryman Cooper D - 77.9%

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