1983 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1983 perform at MOT as they age

43 years

Current Age

83.1%

Latest Pass Rate

1,570

Total Tests (All Years)

91,745 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 1983 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

26 yrs51.7%

→ ↓0.4%

27 yrs51.3%

→ ↑4.2%

28 yrs55.5%

→ ↓3.9%

29 yrs51.6%

→ ↑10.1%

30 yrs61.7%

→ ↓1.3%

31 yrs60.4%

→ ↑0.6%

32 yrs61.0%

→ ↑5.7%

33 yrs66.7%

→ ↑5.0%

34 yrs71.7%

→ ↓7.8%

35 yrs63.9%

→ ↑7.5%

36 yrs71.4%

→ ↓9.3%

37 yrs62.1%

→ ↑19.4%

38 yrs81.5%

→ ↑3.0%

39 yrs84.5%

→ ↓4.2%

40 yrs80.3%

→ ↑2.8%

41 yrs83.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
26 yrs	51.7%	174
27 yrs	51.3%	152
28 yrs	55.5%	137
29 yrs	51.6%	122
30 yrs	61.7%	107
31 yrs	60.4%	101
32 yrs	61.0%	100
33 yrs	66.7%	102
34 yrs	71.7%	99
35 yrs	63.9%	72
36 yrs	71.4%	70
37 yrs	62.1%	58
38 yrs	81.5%	81
39 yrs	84.5%	58
40 yrs	80.3%	66
41 yrs	83.1%	71

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1983 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (41 yrs)	83.1%	71
2023 (40 yrs)	80.3%	66
2022 (39 yrs)	84.5%	58
2021 (38 yrs)	81.5%	81
2020 (37 yrs)	62.1%	58
2019 (36 yrs)	71.4%	70
2018 (35 yrs)	63.9%	72
2017 (34 yrs)	71.7%	99
2016 (33 yrs)	66.7%	102
2015 (32 yrs)	61%	100
2014 (31 yrs)	60.4%	101
2013 (30 yrs)	61.7%	107
2012 (29 yrs)	51.6%	122
2011 (28 yrs)	55.5%	137
2010 (27 yrs)	51.3%	152
2009 (26 yrs)	51.7%	174

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

51.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 174Avg Mileage 101,487Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.7%

2010High Fail Rate

51.3%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 152Avg Mileage 100,577Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.0%

2011High Fail Rate

55.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 137Avg Mileage 97,627Top Failure Brakes — 28.5%

2012High Fail Rate

51.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 122Avg Mileage 103,384Top Failure Brakes — 25.4%

2013High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 107Avg Mileage 101,017Top Failure Suspension — 47.7%

2014High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 101Avg Mileage 94,292Top Failure Brakes — 67.3%

2015High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 100Avg Mileage 94,480Top Failure Brakes — 71.0%

2016

66.7%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 102Avg Mileage 100,286Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.0%

2017

71.7%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 99Avg Mileage 97,947Top Failure Brakes — 53.5%

2018High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 72Avg Mileage 94,747Top Failure Suspension — 45.8%

2019

71.4%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 70Avg Mileage 95,634Top Failure Suspension — 32.9%

2020High Fail Rate

62.1%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 58Avg Mileage 89,517Top Failure Brakes — 46.6%

2021

81.5%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 81Avg Mileage 93,748Top Failure Suspension — 35.8%

2022

84.5%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 58Avg Mileage 96,153Top Failure Suspension — 27.6%

2023

80.3%

Age (yrs) 40Tests 66Avg Mileage 91,554Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 30.3%

2024

83.1%

Age (yrs) 41Tests 71Avg Mileage 91,745Top Failure Brakes — 22.5%

MOT results for 1983 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	26	51.7%	174	101,487	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.7%
2010	27	51.3%	152	100,577	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.0%
2011	28	55.5%	137	97,627	Brakes — 28.5%
2012	29	51.6%	122	103,384	Brakes — 25.4%
2013	30	61.7%	107	101,017	Suspension — 47.7%
2014	31	60.4%	101	94,292	Brakes — 67.3%
2015	32	61.0%	100	94,480	Brakes — 71.0%
2016	33	66.7%	102	100,286	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.0%
2017	34	71.7%	99	97,947	Brakes — 53.5%
2018	35	63.9%	72	94,747	Suspension — 45.8%
2019	36	71.4%	70	95,634	Suspension — 32.9%
2020	37	62.1%	58	89,517	Brakes — 46.6%
2021	38	81.5%	81	93,748	Suspension — 35.8%
2022	39	84.5%	58	96,153	Suspension — 27.6%
2023	40	80.3%	66	91,554	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 30.3%
2024	41	83.1%	71	91,745	Brakes — 22.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1983 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

36.6%

— Consistent

Suspension

33.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

33.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

21.4%

— Consistent

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

16.6%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	22.4% (26 yrs)	22.5% (41 yrs)	+0.1%	⚪ —

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 1983 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,570 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.