1987 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age

39 years

Current Age

79.3%

Latest Pass Rate

10,072

Total Tests (All Years)

115,747 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 1987 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

22 yrs52.0%

→ ↑1.7%

23 yrs53.7%

→ ↑1.0%

24 yrs54.7%

→ ↑4.6%

25 yrs59.3%

→ ↓3.6%

26 yrs55.7%

→ ↑3.1%

27 yrs58.8%

→ ↑4.8%

28 yrs63.6%

→ ↑1.7%

29 yrs65.3%

→ ↑6.0%

30 yrs71.3%

→ ↓5.5%

31 yrs65.8%

→ ↑5.4%

32 yrs71.2%

→ ↓0.4%

33 yrs70.8%

→ ↑3.0%

34 yrs73.8%

→ ↑0.4%

35 yrs74.2%

→ ↑2.9%

36 yrs77.1%

→ ↑2.2%

37 yrs79.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
22 yrs	52.0%	1,351
23 yrs	53.7%	1,111
24 yrs	54.7%	937
25 yrs	59.3%	756
26 yrs	55.7%	724
27 yrs	58.8%	617
28 yrs	63.6%	596
29 yrs	65.3%	554
30 yrs	71.3%	501
31 yrs	65.8%	354
32 yrs	71.2%	365
33 yrs	70.8%	322
34 yrs	73.8%	432
35 yrs	74.2%	356
36 yrs	77.1%	376
37 yrs	79.3%	720

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1987 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (37 yrs)	79.3%	720
2023 (36 yrs)	77.1%	376
2022 (35 yrs)	74.2%	356
2021 (34 yrs)	73.8%	432
2020 (33 yrs)	70.8%	322
2019 (32 yrs)	71.2%	365
2018 (31 yrs)	65.8%	354
2017 (30 yrs)	71.3%	501
2016 (29 yrs)	65.3%	554
2015 (28 yrs)	63.6%	596
2014 (27 yrs)	58.8%	617
2013 (26 yrs)	55.7%	724
2012 (25 yrs)	59.3%	756
2011 (24 yrs)	54.7%	937
2010 (23 yrs)	53.7%	1,111
2009 (22 yrs)	52%	1,351

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,351Avg Mileage 114,189Top Failure Brakes — 25.5%

2010High Fail Rate

53.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,111Avg Mileage 114,150Top Failure Brakes — 26.4%

2011High Fail Rate

54.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 937Avg Mileage 112,273Top Failure Brakes — 22.6%

2012High Fail Rate

59.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 756Avg Mileage 113,627Top Failure Suspension — 23.7%

2013High Fail Rate

55.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 724Avg Mileage 112,269Top Failure Suspension — 63.0%

2014High Fail Rate

58.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 617Avg Mileage 114,908Top Failure Brakes — 56.2%

2015High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 596Avg Mileage 113,282Top Failure Suspension — 43.1%

2016

65.3%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 554Avg Mileage 115,709Top Failure Brakes — 45.5%

2017

71.3%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 501Avg Mileage 116,415Top Failure Suspension — 34.9%

2018

65.8%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 354Avg Mileage 117,561Top Failure Brakes — 45.5%

2019

71.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 365Avg Mileage 115,700Top Failure Brakes — 37.0%

2020

70.8%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 322Avg Mileage 115,776Top Failure Suspension — 35.4%

2021

73.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 432Avg Mileage 115,978Top Failure Brakes — 32.9%

2022

74.2%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 356Avg Mileage 115,355Top Failure Suspension — 39.6%

2023

77.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 376Avg Mileage 116,720Top Failure Suspension — 34.0%

2024

79.3%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 720Avg Mileage 115,747Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.9%

MOT results for 1987 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	22	52.0%	1,351	114,189	Brakes — 25.5%
2010	23	53.7%	1,111	114,150	Brakes — 26.4%
2011	24	54.7%	937	112,273	Brakes — 22.6%
2012	25	59.3%	756	113,627	Suspension — 23.7%
2013	26	55.7%	724	112,269	Suspension — 63.0%
2014	27	58.8%	617	114,908	Brakes — 56.2%
2015	28	63.6%	596	113,282	Suspension — 43.1%
2016	29	65.3%	554	115,709	Brakes — 45.5%
2017	30	71.3%	501	116,415	Suspension — 34.9%
2018	31	65.8%	354	117,561	Brakes — 45.5%
2019	32	71.2%	365	115,700	Brakes — 37.0%
2020	33	70.8%	322	115,776	Suspension — 35.4%
2021	34	73.8%	432	115,978	Brakes — 32.9%
2022	35	74.2%	356	115,355	Suspension — 39.6%
2023	36	77.1%	376	116,720	Suspension — 34.0%
2024	37	79.3%	720	115,747	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 17.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1987 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Suspension

35.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

33.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

31.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions

14.9%

↓ 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	25.5% (22 yrs)	14.3% (37 yrs)	-11.2%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	25.5% (22 yrs)	16.1% (37 yrs)	-9.4%	🟢 ↓

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 1987 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 10,072 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.