BMW 740: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 740 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 11.2 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 3,162 individual BMW 740 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate87.9%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+11.2 points
Tests analysed3,162
Average mileage at test77,961 miles
Average year of manufacture2014
Reliability rank998 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 87.9% first-time pass rate means roughly 12 in every 100 BMW 740s 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 740 tested had covered 77,961 miles and was built around 2014.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a BMW 740 bought as a 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 740 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 what damaged BMW 740s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 740

  1. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.7% of tests (15.27x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.3% of tests (1.84x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.3% of tests
  4. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.2% of tests
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.8% of tests
  6. A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 0.8% of tests
  7. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 0.6% of tests
  8. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 0.5% of tests
  9. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 0.5% of tests
  10. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 0.5% of tests

From 7,708 DVSA-tracked BMW 740 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 5.47% of these flagged BMW 740 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

BMW 740 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each BMW 740 year:

BMW 740 by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate