Petrol BMW 8 Series: MOT pass rate

87.5% of petrol BMW 8 Series pass the MOT first time, measured across 631 DVSA tests on that fuel type alone. Average mileage at test was 30,656.

Petrol against the other BMW 8 Series versions

Why the fuel type changes the number

Petrol cars avoid the DPF and emissions failures that catch diesels, and usually fail on the same consumables as any other car.

On the BMW 8 Series specifically, petrol is the strongest at 87.5%, and this petrol version sits 0.5 points above 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 petrol BMW 8 Series had covered 30,656 miles at test, against 40,260 for the diesel. 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 petrol BMW 8 Series

1. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 6.3% of tests (3.77x the national rate for this defect)
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 5.2% of tests (1.87x the national rate for this defect)
3. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 0.8% of tests
4. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 0.8% of tests
5. 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 (3.26x the national rate for this defect)
6. Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements, 0.6% of tests (3.42x the national rate for this defect)
7. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 0.6% of tests
8. Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer, 0.5% of tests
9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 0.5% of tests
10. Brake performance unable to be tested, 0.3% of tests (1.84x the national rate for this defect)

From 633 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 8 Series tests, 2024, split out from the BMW 8 Series's other fuel types. DVSA testers marked 17.09% 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 petrol BMW 8 Series

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

1. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 20.4% of tests, also fails
2. A tyre seriously damaged, 9.5% of tests, also fails
3. a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm, 3.2% of tests
4. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 1.9% of tests
5. A transmission shaft flexible coupling excessively deteriorated, 1.9% of tests (29.72x the national rate for this defect)
6. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 1.6% of tests
7. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 1.3% of tests
8. A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded, 0.9% of tests
9. A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting, 0.9% of tests
10. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 0.6% of tests

From 633 DVSA-tracked petrol BMW 8 Series tests, 2024.

Other BMW 8 Series fuel types

• Diesel BMW 8 Series - 86.7%

All BMW 8 Series MOT data · Every model