In 2025, 346,558 BMW 3 Series cars had a regular MOT in Great Britain. 73% passed first time, compared with 65% for all cars of the same ages, which makes the 3 Series better than average. Adjusted for age, it ranks 22 of the 217 most-tested car models.
That comparison matters: older cars fail more often, so a raw pass rate flatters models that are mostly young. We compare each model against every car on the road at the same age.
Pass rate by age
At 4 years old, 89% of 3 Seriess passed first time (all cars that age: 87%). By 20 years, that figure is 66% (all cars: 58%). It beats the average car at every age with enough data, from 6 to 20 years.
BMW 3 Series All cars of that age
| Age | Tests | 3 Series passed first time | All cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 years | 384 | 89% | 87% | 38,287 |
| 5 years | 3,160 | 87% | 86% | 50,342 |
| 6 years | 11,431 | 86% | 84% | 57,722 |
| 7 years | 8,494 | 86% | 81% | 65,155 |
| 8 years | 3,618 | 84% | 78% | 77,722 |
| 9 years | 24,232 | 83% | 75% | 88,162 |
| 10 years | 30,027 | 80% | 72% | 96,760 |
| 11 years | 29,387 | 76% | 69% | 107,429 |
| 12 years | 31,579 | 73% | 66% | 111,702 |
| 13 years | 30,396 | 68% | 63% | 116,907 |
| 14 years | 24,755 | 69% | 61% | 122,824 |
| 15 years | 22,563 | 68% | 59% | 124,934 |
| 16 years | 20,077 | 67% | 58% | 123,460 |
| 17 years | 19,003 | 68% | 57% | 125,728 |
| 18 years | 21,546 | 68% | 57% | 130,912 |
| 19 years | 15,657 | 67% | 57% | 135,936 |
| 20 years | 9,806 | 66% | 58% | 131,598 |
What fails most on a BMW 3 Series
The area that lets the 3 Series down most, relative to other cars, is road wheels: 1.7% of tests failed on it, 13.8 times the rate for the average car. It does comparatively well on body and structure.
Share of 3 Series tests failing on this area Average car
The six most common failure items
| Failure item | Area | Share of tests |
|---|---|---|
| The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements | Lights and electrics | 4.8% |
| A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | Suspension | 3.8% |
| Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | Tyres | 3.6% |
| A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage | Suspension | 3.6% |
| A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning | Lights and electrics | 3.4% |
| A tyre seriously damaged | Tyres | 3.2% |
What to check when buying a used 3 Series
Based on where the 3 Series fails more often than other cars, these are the checks worth making before you buy:
- Road wheels: Look for damaged rims and missing wheel nuts. More
- Tyres: Check tread across the whole width (uneven wear hints at alignment or suspension faults), and look for cuts, bulges and mismatched brands. Repair guide
- Brakes: Look through the wheels for lipped or scored discs, check the handbrake holds on a slope, and feel for pulling or vibration under firm braking. Repair guide
Then check the individual car: its own MOT history will show whether it follows the pattern. A car with repeated advisories in the same weak area is more likely to fail its next test.
Check a specific 3 Series
Enter the registration to see its full MOT history, mileage record and reliability score, compared with these figures.
Check a 3 SeriesFrequently asked questions
What is the MOT pass rate for a BMW 3 Series?
In 2025, 73% of BMW 3 Series cars passed their MOT first time, across 346,558 tests. Cars of the same ages averaged 65%.
What do BMW 3 Series cars most often fail their MOT on?
The most common failure items were: the aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements (4.8% of tests); a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn (3.8% of tests); tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements (3.6% of tests).
Other BMW models
BMW 118 (79%), BMW X1 (82%), BMW 116 (72%), BMW X3 (79%), BMW 1 Series (78%), BMW X5 (79%). All BMW models
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2025 (class 4 normal tests; first-time pass means passed with no faults fixed at the test). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.