BMW 7 Series: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 7 Series passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 11 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 3,759 individual BMW 7 Series tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate87.7%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+11 points
Tests analysed3,759
Average mileage at test75,735 miles
Average year of manufacture2016
Reliability rank1,027 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 87.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 12 in every 100 BMW 7 Series 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 7 Series tested had covered 75,735 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 7 Series sits 11 points above the national average, ranked 1,027 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 7 Series 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 7 Series at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 7 Series

  1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 1.3% of tests (22.61x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.6% of tests (1.98x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.6% of tests (1.29x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.4% of tests
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 1.3% of tests
  6. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.3% of tests
  7. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.2% of tests
  8. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.7% of tests
  9. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 0.5% of tests
  10. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.5% of tests

From 3,758 DVSA-tracked BMW 7 Series tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 8.42% of these flagged BMW 7 Series defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 7 Series

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 7 Series before it actually fails on it.

  1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 0.7% of tests (1.28x the national rate for this advisory)
  2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 21.1% of tests, also fails
  3. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 6.7% of tests, also fails
  4. A tyre seriously damaged, 4.8% of tests, also fails
  5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 4.2% of tests
  6. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 3.6% of tests
  7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 3.2% of tests, also fails
  8. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.8% of tests
  9. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.3% of tests
  10. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 0.9% of tests

From 3,758 DVSA-tracked BMW 7 Series tests, 2024.

BMW 7 Series pass rate by model year

From its 2017 to its 2021 model year, the BMW 7 Series's first-time pass rate has risen 2.8 points, from 88.8% to 91.6%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each BMW 7 Series year:

BMW 7 Series by fuel type

The BMW 7 Series's two most-tested fuel types split by 6.7 points: hybrid passes first time 91.7% of the time (1,607 tests) against 85% for diesel (1,464 tests).

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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BMW 7 Series MOT pass rate badge: 87.7%

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BMW 7 Series most common MOT failure: Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel (1.3% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate