BMW 640: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 640 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 6.4 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 10,004 individual BMW 640 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate83.1%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+6.4 points
Tests analysed10,004
Average mileage at test76,733 miles
Average year of manufacture2015
Reliability rank1,334 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 83.1% first-time pass rate means roughly 17 in every 100 BMW 640s 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 640 tested had covered 76,733 miles and was built around 2015.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 640 sits 6.4 points above the national average, ranked 1,334 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 640 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 640s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 640

  1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 1.2% of tests (19.56x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of LED or gas discharge systems (HID), 0.6% of tests (18.32x the national rate for this defect)
  3. 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, 0.8% of tests (3.93x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.7% of tests (3.79x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A tyre seriously damaged, 6.4% of tests (2.28x the national rate for this defect)
  6. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 3.5% of tests (2.08x the national rate for this defect)
  7. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.6% of tests (1.78x the national rate for this defect)
  8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 3.9% of tests (1.72x the national rate for this defect)
  9. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.9% of tests
  10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 1.2% of tests

From 9,990 DVSA-tracked BMW 640 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 13.09% of these flagged BMW 640 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 640

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 640 before it actually fails on it.

  1. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 1.3% of tests (20.87x the national rate for this advisory)
  2. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 1.3% of tests (1.57x the national rate for this advisory)
  3. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 22.5% of tests, also fails
  4. A tyre seriously damaged, 7.5% of tests, also fails
  5. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 6% of tests
  6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 5.4% of tests
  7. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.2% of tests
  8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 2% of tests
  9. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.9% of tests
  10. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.6% of tests

From 9,990 DVSA-tracked BMW 640 tests, 2024.

BMW 640 pass rate by model year

From its 2011 to its 2018 model year, the BMW 640's first-time pass rate has fallen 3.4 points, from 83.9% to 80.5%, an unusual pattern where even its newest years fail more than its oldest. First-time pass rate for each BMW 640 year:

BMW 640 by fuel type

The BMW 640's two most-tested fuel types split by 3.6 points: diesel passes first time 83.1% of the time (9,031 tests) against 86.7% for petrol (933 tests).

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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BMW 640 MOT pass rate badge: 83.1%

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BMW 640 most common MOT failure: Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel (1.2% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate