BMW 8 Series: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The BMW 8 Series passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 10 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,705 individual BMW 8 Series tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate86.7%
UK national average76.7%
Difference+10 points
Tests analysed1,705
Average mileage at test36,556 miles
Average year of manufacture2019
Reliability rank1,121 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 86.7% first-time pass rate means roughly 13 in every 100 BMW 8 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 8 Series tested had covered 36,556 miles and was built around 2019.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The BMW 8 Series sits 10 points above the national average, ranked 1,121 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 8 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 8 Series at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a BMW 8 Series

  1. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 1.1% of tests (5.71x the national rate for this defect)
  2. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 6.6% of tests (3.91x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.5% of tests (1.97x the national rate for this defect)
  4. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1% of tests
  5. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.9% of tests
  6. A tyre has a lump, bulge or tear caused by separation or partial failure of its structure. This includes any lifting of the tread rubber, 0.6% of tests (3.33x the national rate for this defect)
  7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.5% of tests
  8. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.5% of tests (7.97x the national rate for this defect)
  9. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.4% of tests
  10. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 0.4% of tests (39.57x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,705 DVSA-tracked BMW 8 Series tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 19.2% of these flagged BMW 8 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 8 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 8 Series before it actually fails on it.

  1. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 2.8% of tests (43.21x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
  2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 18.1% of tests, also fails
  3. A tyre seriously damaged, 8.9% of tests, also fails
  4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 4.2% of tests, also fails
  5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 1.3% of tests
  6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 0.6% of tests
  7. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.6% of tests
  8. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 0.5% of tests
  9. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.4% of tests
  10. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 0.4% of tests

From 1,705 DVSA-tracked BMW 8 Series tests, 2024.

BMW 8 Series pass rate by model year

From its 2019 to its 2020 model year, the BMW 8 Series's first-time pass rate has risen 2.6 points, from 86.4% to 89%, the usual pattern: a newer model year is a younger car today, so it fails less. First-time pass rate for each BMW 8 Series year:

BMW 8 Series by fuel type

The BMW 8 Series's two most-tested fuel types split by 0.8 points: diesel passes first time 86.7% of the time (1,068 tests) against 87.5% for petrol (631 tests).

Other BMW models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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BMW 8 Series MOT pass rate badge: 86.7%

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BMW 8 Series most common MOT failure: Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements (1.1% of tests)

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate