1989 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

78.0%

Latest Pass Rate

28,508

Total Tests (All Years)

122,637 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 1989 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

20 yrs52.0%

→ ↑0.5%

21 yrs52.5%

→ ↑3.7%

22 yrs56.2%

→ ↓0.2%

23 yrs56.0%

→ ↑3.2%

24 yrs59.2%

→ ↑0.7%

25 yrs59.9%

→ ↑2.3%

26 yrs62.2%

→ ↑2.9%

27 yrs65.1%

→ ↑2.0%

28 yrs67.1%

→ ↑0.3%

29 yrs67.4%

→ ↑4.6%

30 yrs72.0%

→ ↑1.5%

31 yrs73.5%

→ ↑0.9%

32 yrs74.4%

→ ↑1.1%

33 yrs75.5%

→ ↑2.9%

34 yrs78.4%

→ ↓0.4%

35 yrs78.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	52.0%	4,126
21 yrs	52.5%	3,289
22 yrs	56.2%	2,833
23 yrs	56.0%	2,256
24 yrs	59.2%	1,988
25 yrs	59.9%	1,824
26 yrs	62.2%	1,622
27 yrs	65.1%	1,543
28 yrs	67.1%	1,441
29 yrs	67.4%	979
30 yrs	72.0%	1,008
31 yrs	73.5%	820
32 yrs	74.4%	1,091
33 yrs	75.5%	898
34 yrs	78.4%	1,010
35 yrs	78.0%	1,780

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	78%	1,780
2023 (34 yrs)	78.4%	1,010
2022 (33 yrs)	75.5%	898
2021 (32 yrs)	74.4%	1,091
2020 (31 yrs)	73.5%	820
2019 (30 yrs)	72%	1,008
2018 (29 yrs)	67.4%	979
2017 (28 yrs)	67.1%	1,441
2016 (27 yrs)	65.1%	1,543
2015 (26 yrs)	62.2%	1,622
2014 (25 yrs)	59.9%	1,824
2013 (24 yrs)	59.2%	1,988
2012 (23 yrs)	56%	2,256
2011 (22 yrs)	56.2%	2,833
2010 (21 yrs)	52.5%	3,289
2009 (20 yrs)	52%	4,126

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.0%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 4,126Avg Mileage 119,852Top Failure Suspension — 27.3%

2010High Fail Rate

52.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 3,289Avg Mileage 119,695Top Failure Suspension — 28.2%

2011High Fail Rate

56.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 2,833Avg Mileage 119,613Top Failure Suspension — 25.6%

2012High Fail Rate

56.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 2,256Avg Mileage 119,745Top Failure Suspension — 26.3%

2013High Fail Rate

59.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,988Avg Mileage 118,888Top Failure Suspension — 57.9%

2014High Fail Rate

59.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,824Avg Mileage 120,026Top Failure Brakes — 57.9%

2015High Fail Rate

62.2%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,622Avg Mileage 118,974Top Failure Suspension — 49.1%

2016

65.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,543Avg Mileage 119,775Top Failure Brakes — 44.1%

2017

67.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 1,441Avg Mileage 120,241Top Failure Suspension — 48.0%

2018

67.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 979Avg Mileage 119,126Top Failure Brakes — 42.8%

2019

72.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,008Avg Mileage 121,951Top Failure Brakes — 41.9%

2020

73.5%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 820Avg Mileage 120,337Top Failure Suspension — 34.0%

2021

74.4%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 1,091Avg Mileage 121,688Top Failure Brakes — 37.2%

2022

75.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 898Avg Mileage 120,912Top Failure Suspension — 32.1%

2023

78.4%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 1,010Avg Mileage 121,326Top Failure Suspension — 29.5%

2024

78.0%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 1,780Avg Mileage 122,637Top Failure Brakes — 26.2%

MOT results for 1989 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	52.0%	4,126	119,852	Suspension — 27.3%
2010	21	52.5%	3,289	119,695	Suspension — 28.2%
2011	22	56.2%	2,833	119,613	Suspension — 25.6%
2012	23	56.0%	2,256	119,745	Suspension — 26.3%
2013	24	59.2%	1,988	118,888	Suspension — 57.9%
2014	25	59.9%	1,824	120,026	Brakes — 57.9%
2015	26	62.2%	1,622	118,974	Suspension — 49.1%
2016	27	65.1%	1,543	119,775	Brakes — 44.1%
2017	28	67.1%	1,441	120,241	Suspension — 48.0%
2018	29	67.4%	979	119,126	Brakes — 42.8%
2019	30	72.0%	1,008	121,951	Brakes — 41.9%
2020	31	73.5%	820	120,337	Suspension — 34.0%
2021	32	74.4%	1,091	121,688	Brakes — 37.2%
2022	33	75.5%	898	120,912	Suspension — 32.1%
2023	34	78.4%	1,010	121,326	Suspension — 29.5%
2024	35	78.0%	1,780	122,637	Brakes — 26.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

36.9%

— Consistent

Suspension

36.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

29.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

24.8%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

14.8%

↓ 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	27.3% (20 yrs)	20.6% (35 yrs)	-6.7%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	26.0% (20 yrs)	26.2% (35 yrs)	+0.2%	⚪ —

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 28,508 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.