Diesel BMW 8 Series: MOT pass rate

86.7% of diesel BMW 8 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 1,068 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 40,260.

Diesel against the other BMW 8 Series 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 8 Series specifically, petrol is the strongest at 87.5%, and this diesel version sits 0.3 points below the 87% 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 8 Series had covered 40,260 miles at test, against 30,656 for the petrol. That is below average for a car this age, worth a mileage-consistency check since an unusually low reading is sometimes clocking rather than luck.

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

Most common MOT failures on a diesel BMW 8 Series

1. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 6.7% of tests (4x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.7% of tests (2.04x the national rate for this defect)
3. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 1.3% of tests (7.07x the national rate for this defect)
4. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.3% 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, 0.7% of tests (3.37x the national rate for this defect)
7. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 0.7% of tests
8. Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel, 0.6% of tests (9.51x the national rate for this defect)
9. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 0.6% of tests (53.95x the national rate for this defect)
10. A tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative, 0.4% of tests (1.36x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,072 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 8 Series tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 8 Series's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 20.57% 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 8 Series

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

1. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 3.3% of tests (51.18x the national rate for this defect), also fails
2. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 16.8% of tests, also fails
3. A tyre seriously damaged, 8.5% of tests, also fails
4. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 4.9% of tests, also fails
5. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 1% of tests
6. Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn, 0.8% of tests
7. Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution., 0.4% of tests
8. Number plate inscription missing or illegible, 0.3% of tests
9. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 0.2% of tests
10. Any part of the noise suppression system insecure, 0.2% of tests (1.5x the national rate for this defect)

From 1,072 DVSA-tracked diesel BMW 8 Series tests, 2024.

Other BMW 8 Series fuel types

• Petrol BMW 8 Series - 87.5%

All BMW 8 Series MOT data · Every model