Diesel BMW 730: MOT pass rate

85.6% of diesel BMW 730s pass the MOT first time, measured across 8,985 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 104,518.

Diesel against the other BMW 730 versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Diesels carry DPFs, EGR valves and stricter smoke limits, so emissions and exhaust faults account for failures petrol cars never see.

On the BMW 730 specifically, diesel is the strongest at 85.6%, and this diesel version sits 0.2 points above the 85.4% 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 diesel BMW 730 had covered 104,518 miles at test, against 123,593 for the petrol. That is above average and into the range where cambelts and water pumps are due if they have not already been done, so ask for the service history rather than take the mileage on trust.

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 730 page separate age from fuel if you want to isolate one.

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 730

1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.9% of tests (15.23x the national rate for this defect)
2. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 1% of tests (2.45x the national rate for this defect)
3. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 0.7% of tests (2.29x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.8% of tests
5. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.7% of tests
6. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.3% of tests
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 1.9% of tests
8. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 1.8% of tests
9. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 1.2% of tests
10. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.2% of tests

From 9,041 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 730 tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 730's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 5.87% 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 diesel BMW 730

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

1. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 1.1% of tests (16.64x the national rate for this defect)
2. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 2.4% of tests (4.34x the national rate for this defect)
3. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 8.5% of tests (1.52x the national rate for this defect)
4. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 16.9% of tests (1.26x the national rate for this defect), also fails
5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 28.2% of tests, also fails
6. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 6.6% of tests
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 6% of tests
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.9% of tests, also fails
9. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 3.7% of tests
10. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 2.6% of tests

From 9,041 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 730 tests, 2024.

Other BMW 730 fuel types

• Petrol BMW 730 - 79.1%

All BMW 730 MOT data · Every model