BMW 728: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 728 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 0.5 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 764 individual BMW 728 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 76.2% first-time pass rate means roughly 24 in every 100 BMW 728s 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 728 tested had covered 133,447 miles and was built around 1999.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 728 sits 0.5 points below the national average, ranked 1,583 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 728 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 728s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 728

1. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 2.2% of tests (8.33x the national rate for this defect)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 3.4% of tests (3.18x the national rate for this defect)
3. 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, 2.9% of tests (3.05x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 4.3% of tests (2.35x the national rate for this defect)
5. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 2.9% of tests (1.71x the national rate for this defect)
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 8.2% of tests (1.64x the national rate for this defect)
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2.2% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this defect)
8. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.5% of tests
9. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 2.4% of tests
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.2% of tests

From 764 DVSA-tracked BMW 728 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.52% of these flagged BMW 728 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a BMW 728

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 728 before it actually fails on it.

1. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 9% of tests (16.11x the national rate for this advisory)
2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 27.7% of tests (4.48x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
3. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 22.6% of tests (4.07x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 4.1% of tests (3.26x the national rate for this advisory)
5. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 3.7% of tests (2.75x 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, 4.1% of tests (2.67x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. Lamp emitted colour, position or intensity not in accordance with the requirements, 3.5% of tests (2.58x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 4.2% of tests (1.58x the national rate for this advisory)
9. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 20.3% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 5.6% of tests (1.19x the national rate for this advisory), also fails

From 764 DVSA-tracked BMW 728 tests, 2024.

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

• Mercedes-Benz 190 E - 76.3%
• Lexus Ls400 - 76.3%
• Mercedes-Benz Ml - 76.2%
• Volvo V40 - 76.1%
• Mercedes-Benz Cls - 76.1%
• Ford Tourneo - 76.1%

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