1981 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age

45 years

Current Age

72.7%

Latest Pass Rate

577

Total Tests (All Years)

92,032 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1981 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

28 yrs57.4%

→ ↓6.7%

29 yrs50.7%

→ ↑3.7%

30 yrs54.4%

→ ↓9.2%

31 yrs45.2%

→ ↓9.1%

32 yrs36.1%

→ ↑25.7%

33 yrs61.8%

→ ↓4.7%

34 yrs57.1%

→ ↑2.4%

35 yrs59.5%

→ ↓1.0%

36 yrs58.5%

→ ↑21.0%

37 yrs79.5%

→ ↓9.0%

38 yrs70.5%

→ ↓19.1%

39 yrs51.4%

→ ↑21.3%

40 yrs72.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
28 yrs	57.4%	61
29 yrs	50.7%	67
30 yrs	54.4%	57
31 yrs	45.2%	42
32 yrs	36.1%	36
33 yrs	61.8%	34
34 yrs	57.1%	35
35 yrs	59.5%	37
36 yrs	58.5%	41
37 yrs	79.5%	44
38 yrs	70.5%	44
39 yrs	51.4%	35
40 yrs	72.7%	44

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1981 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2021 (40 yrs)	72.7%	44
2020 (39 yrs)	51.4%	35
2019 (38 yrs)	70.5%	44
2018 (37 yrs)	79.5%	44
2017 (36 yrs)	58.5%	41
2016 (35 yrs)	59.5%	37
2015 (34 yrs)	57.1%	35
2014 (33 yrs)	61.8%	34
2013 (32 yrs)	36.1%	36
2012 (31 yrs)	45.2%	42
2011 (30 yrs)	54.4%	57
2010 (29 yrs)	50.7%	67
2009 (28 yrs)	57.4%	61

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

57.4%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 61Avg Mileage 85,010Top Failure Brakes — 27.9%

2010High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 67Avg Mileage 88,327Top Failure Brakes — 29.9%

2011High Fail Rate

54.4%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 57Avg Mileage 90,695Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.1%

2012High Fail Rate

45.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 42Avg Mileage 89,681Top Failure Brakes — 38.1%

2013High Fail Rate

36.1%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 36Avg Mileage 86,073Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 88.9%

2014High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 34Avg Mileage 95,497Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 82.4%

2015High Fail Rate

57.1%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 35Avg Mileage 94,455Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 71.4%

2016High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 37Avg Mileage 94,913Top Failure Suspension — 62.2%

2017High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 41Avg Mileage 91,441Top Failure Suspension — 48.8%

2018

79.5%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 44Avg Mileage 96,828Top Failure Brakes — 29.5%

2019

70.5%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 44Avg Mileage 100,565Top Failure Suspension — 61.4%

2020High Fail Rate

51.4%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 35Avg Mileage 104,777Top Failure Brakes — 85.7%

2021

72.7%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 44Avg Mileage 92,032Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.0%

MOT results for 1981 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	28	57.4%	61	85,010	Brakes — 27.9%
2010	29	50.7%	67	88,327	Brakes — 29.9%
2011	30	54.4%	57	90,695	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.1%
2012	31	45.2%	42	89,681	Brakes — 38.1%
2013	32	36.1%	36	86,073	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 88.9%
2014	33	61.8%	34	95,497	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 82.4%
2015	34	57.1%	35	94,455	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 71.4%
2016	35	59.5%	37	94,913	Suspension — 62.2%
2017	36	58.5%	41	91,441	Suspension — 48.8%
2018	37	79.5%	44	96,828	Brakes — 29.5%
2019	38	70.5%	44	100,565	Suspension — 61.4%
2020	39	51.4%	35	104,777	Brakes — 85.7%
2021	40	72.7%	44	92,032	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1981 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

45.3%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

42.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

41.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

37.2%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

27.3%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	21.3% (28 yrs)	11.4% (40 yrs)	-9.9%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	27.9% (28 yrs)	25.0% (40 yrs)	-2.9%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 3 Series page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 3 Series cars manufactured in 1981 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2021, covering 577 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.