Petrol BMW 7 Series: MOT pass rate

88.4% of petrol BMW 7 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 654 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 58,266.

Petrol against the other BMW 7 Series versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the BMW 7 Series specifically, hybrid is the strongest at 91.7%, and this petrol version sits 0 points above the 88.4% model average.

What it means if you are buying one

There is little to choose between fuel types on this model, so decide on running costs and mileage rather than MOT record. Buying a damaged one? run it through the analyzer, check the exact car, decode the VIN and check the mileage before you bid.

Mileage is part of the answer

The average petrol BMW 7 Series had covered 58,266 miles at test, against 52,400 for the hybrid and 110,045 for the diesel. That is around average, so condition and service history will tell you more than the odometer does.

Fuel type and mileage are tangled together: diesels are usually bought by higher-mileage drivers, so some of any gap between fuels is the miles rather than the engine. The per-year figures on the BMW 7 Series page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a petrol BMW 7 Series

1. A tyre seriously damaged, 3.9% of tests (1.41x the national rate for this defect)
2. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 2.3% of tests
3. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.5% of tests
4. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.9% of tests
5. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.9% of tests (15.47x the national rate for this defect)
6. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.8% of tests
7. Wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen, 0.8% of tests
8. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.8% of tests (2.45x the national rate for this defect)
9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.8% of tests
10. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 0.6% of tests

From 659 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 7 Series tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 7 Series's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.41% of these flagged defects as "dangerous", against 5.11% nationally. See which fuel type fails on the most dangerous defects nationally for how that compares across the whole fleet.

Most common MOT advisories on a petrol BMW 7 Series

Flagged but doesn't fail the car, a different list from the failures above.

1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 25.2% of tests
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.6% of tests, also fails
3. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 5.3% of tests
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 5.3% of tests, also fails
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 4.7% of tests
6. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 4.6% of tests
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 2.3% of tests, also fails
8. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 1.2% of tests
9. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 1.2% of tests
10. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 1.1% of tests

From 659 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 7 Series tests, 2024.

Other BMW 7 Series fuel types

• Hybrid BMW 7 Series - 91.7%
• Diesel BMW 7 Series - 85%

All BMW 7 Series MOT data · Every model