1982 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1982 perform at MOT as they age

44 years

Current Age

88.9%

Latest Pass Rate

1,777

Total Tests (All Years)

93,336 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 1982 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

27 yrs53.2%

→ ↑1.3%

28 yrs54.5%

→ ↓6.7%

29 yrs47.8%

→ ↑13.0%

30 yrs60.8%

→ ↑1.7%

31 yrs62.5%

→ ↓0.8%

32 yrs61.7%

→ ↑8.3%

33 yrs70.0%

→ ↓8.8%

34 yrs61.2%

→ ↓0.4%

35 yrs60.8%

→ ↑13.2%

36 yrs74.0%

→ ↓6.1%

37 yrs67.9%

→ ↑4.8%

38 yrs72.7%

→ ↑2.9%

39 yrs75.6%

→ ↓3.2%

40 yrs72.4%

→ ↑12.8%

41 yrs85.2%

→ ↑3.7%

42 yrs88.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
27 yrs	53.2%	158
28 yrs	54.5%	145
29 yrs	47.8%	159
30 yrs	60.8%	125
31 yrs	62.5%	120
32 yrs	61.7%	115
33 yrs	70.0%	100
34 yrs	61.2%	116
35 yrs	60.8%	97
36 yrs	74.0%	104
37 yrs	67.9%	109
38 yrs	72.7%	88
39 yrs	75.6%	119
40 yrs	72.4%	87
41 yrs	85.2%	54
42 yrs	88.9%	81

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1982 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (42 yrs)	88.9%	81
2023 (41 yrs)	85.2%	54
2022 (40 yrs)	72.4%	87
2021 (39 yrs)	75.6%	119
2020 (38 yrs)	72.7%	88
2019 (37 yrs)	67.9%	109
2018 (36 yrs)	74%	104
2017 (35 yrs)	60.8%	97
2016 (34 yrs)	61.2%	116
2015 (33 yrs)	70%	100
2014 (32 yrs)	61.7%	115
2013 (31 yrs)	62.5%	120
2012 (30 yrs)	60.8%	125
2011 (29 yrs)	47.8%	159
2010 (28 yrs)	54.5%	145
2009 (27 yrs)	53.2%	158

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 158Avg Mileage 98,174Top Failure Brakes — 31.0%

2010High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 145Avg Mileage 91,598Top Failure Brakes — 29.7%

2011High Fail Rate

47.8%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 159Avg Mileage 89,854Top Failure Brakes — 31.4%

2012High Fail Rate

60.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 125Avg Mileage 93,355Top Failure Brakes — 28.0%

2013High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 120Avg Mileage 90,172Top Failure Brakes — 60.0%

2014High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 115Avg Mileage 92,956Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 54.8%

2015

70.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 100Avg Mileage 91,868Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 57.0%

2016High Fail Rate

61.2%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 116Avg Mileage 96,651Top Failure Brakes — 69.8%

2017High Fail Rate

60.8%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 97Avg Mileage 89,191Top Failure Brakes — 55.7%

2018

74.0%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 104Avg Mileage 86,008Top Failure Brakes — 33.7%

2019

67.9%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 109Avg Mileage 90,823Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 33.0%

2020

72.7%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 88Avg Mileage 89,346Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 34.1%

2021

75.6%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 119Avg Mileage 93,771Top Failure Brakes — 31.9%

2022

72.4%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 87Avg Mileage 95,294Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 41.4%

2023

85.2%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 54Avg Mileage 85,988Top Failure Brakes — 16.7%

2024

88.9%

Age (yrs) 42Tests 81Avg Mileage 93,336Top Failure Brakes — 9.9%

MOT results for 1982 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	27	53.2%	158	98,174	Brakes — 31.0%
2010	28	54.5%	145	91,598	Brakes — 29.7%
2011	29	47.8%	159	89,854	Brakes — 31.4%
2012	30	60.8%	125	93,355	Brakes — 28.0%
2013	31	62.5%	120	90,172	Brakes — 60.0%
2014	32	61.7%	115	92,956	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 54.8%
2015	33	70.0%	100	91,868	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 57.0%
2016	34	61.2%	116	96,651	Brakes — 69.8%
2017	35	60.8%	97	89,191	Brakes — 55.7%
2018	36	74.0%	104	86,008	Brakes — 33.7%
2019	37	67.9%	109	90,823	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 33.0%
2020	38	72.7%	88	89,346	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 34.1%
2021	39	75.6%	119	93,771	Brakes — 31.9%
2022	40	72.4%	87	95,294	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 41.4%
2023	41	85.2%	54	85,988	Brakes — 16.7%
2024	42	88.9%	81	93,336	Brakes — 9.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1982 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

38.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

36.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

25.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

25.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

16.6%

↓ 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
Brakes	31.0% (27 yrs)	9.9% (42 yrs)	-21.1%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	21.5% (27 yrs)	4.9% (42 yrs)	-16.6%	🟢 ↓

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 1982 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,777 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.