BMW 630: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 630 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 1.9 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 2,856 individual BMW 630 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 74.8% first-time pass rate means roughly 25 in every 100 BMW 630s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average BMW 630 tested had covered 111,275 miles and was built around 2007.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 630 sits 1.9 points below the national average, ranked 1,625 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

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 630 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 630s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 630

1. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 1.5% of tests (3.71x the national rate for this defect)
2. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 6.2% of tests (3.35x the national rate for this defect)
3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3.5% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this defect)
4. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 2.6% of tests (2.09x the national rate for this defect)
5. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.3% of tests (1.98x the national rate for this defect)
6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.1% of tests (1.93x the national rate for this defect)
7. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.5% of tests (1.88x the national rate for this defect)
8. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 4% of tests (1.81x the national rate for this defect)
9. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 2.3% of tests (1.75x the national rate for this defect)
10. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 2% of tests (1.59x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,855 DVSA-tracked BMW 630 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.73% of these flagged BMW 630 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 630

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 630 before it actually fails on it.

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 3.5% of tests (6.31x 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, 16.1% of tests (2.9x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 13.3% of tests (2.14x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
4. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.8% of tests (2.07x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 27.5% of tests (2.06x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 2.5% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this advisory)
7. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 5% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28.2% of tests
9. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 13.3% of tests
10. A tyre seriously damaged, 12.4% of tests

From 2,855 DVSA-tracked BMW 630 tests, 2024.

BMW 630 pass rate by model year

From its 2005 to its 2008 model year, the BMW 630's first-time pass rate has risen 4 points, from 73.3% to 77.3%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each BMW 630 year:

• 2005 BMW 630 - 73.3% first-time pass, 591 tests
• 2006 BMW 630 - 74.4% first-time pass, 884 tests
• 2007 BMW 630 - 76.1% first-time pass, 719 tests
• 2008 BMW 630 - 77.3% first-time pass, 406 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

• Austin MINI Mayfair - 74.9%
• Mercedes-Benz 220 - 74.9%
• Ford C-Max - 74.8%
• Land Rover 88 - 74.8%
• Smart (Mcc) Roadster - 74.8%
• Volkswagen Passat - 74.7%

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