1991 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1991 perform at MOT as they age

35 years

Current Age

78.0%

Latest Pass Rate

28,251

Total Tests (All Years)

117,289 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 1991 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

18 yrs48.5%

→ ↑1.3%

19 yrs49.8%

→ ↑1.9%

20 yrs51.7%

→ ↑1.7%

21 yrs53.4%

→ ↑3.3%

22 yrs56.7%

→ ↓2.6%

23 yrs54.1%

→ ↑4.3%

24 yrs58.4%

→ ↑4.3%

25 yrs62.7%

→ ↑2.1%

26 yrs64.8%

→ ↑1.1%

27 yrs65.9%

→ ↑3.2%

28 yrs69.1%

→ ↑5.4%

29 yrs74.5%

→ ↓2.8%

30 yrs71.7%

→ ↑2.5%

31 yrs74.2%

→ ↑3.2%

32 yrs77.4%

→ ↑0.6%

33 yrs78.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
18 yrs	48.5%	5,158
19 yrs	49.8%	4,032
20 yrs	51.7%	3,008
21 yrs	53.4%	2,302
22 yrs	56.7%	1,922
23 yrs	54.1%	1,663
24 yrs	58.4%	1,504
25 yrs	62.7%	1,333
26 yrs	64.8%	1,209
27 yrs	65.9%	801
28 yrs	69.1%	795
29 yrs	74.5%	729
30 yrs	71.7%	869
31 yrs	74.2%	722
32 yrs	77.4%	788
33 yrs	78.0%	1,416

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1991 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (33 yrs)	78%	1,416
2023 (32 yrs)	77.4%	788
2022 (31 yrs)	74.2%	722
2021 (30 yrs)	71.7%	869
2020 (29 yrs)	74.5%	729
2019 (28 yrs)	69.1%	795
2018 (27 yrs)	65.9%	801
2017 (26 yrs)	64.8%	1,209
2016 (25 yrs)	62.7%	1,333
2015 (24 yrs)	58.4%	1,504
2014 (23 yrs)	54.1%	1,663
2013 (22 yrs)	56.7%	1,922
2012 (21 yrs)	53.4%	2,302
2011 (20 yrs)	51.7%	3,008
2010 (19 yrs)	49.8%	4,032
2009 (18 yrs)	48.5%	5,158

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

48.5%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 5,158Avg Mileage 119,621Top Failure Brakes — 30.0%

2010High Fail Rate

49.8%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,032Avg Mileage 120,475Top Failure Brakes — 29.4%

2011High Fail Rate

51.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 3,008Avg Mileage 118,142Top Failure Suspension — 28.7%

2012High Fail Rate

53.4%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,302Avg Mileage 116,093Top Failure Suspension — 27.5%

2013High Fail Rate

56.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,922Avg Mileage 115,581Top Failure Suspension — 64.5%

2014High Fail Rate

54.1%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,663Avg Mileage 114,879Top Failure Suspension — 67.6%

2015High Fail Rate

58.4%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,504Avg Mileage 115,487Top Failure Brakes — 59.2%

2016High Fail Rate

62.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,333Avg Mileage 115,469Top Failure Suspension — 52.7%

2017High Fail Rate

64.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,209Avg Mileage 115,919Top Failure Brakes — 45.9%

2018

65.9%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 801Avg Mileage 116,569Top Failure Brakes — 49.8%

2019

69.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 795Avg Mileage 114,931Top Failure Suspension — 38.0%

2020

74.5%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 729Avg Mileage 114,987Top Failure Suspension — 33.3%

2021

71.7%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 869Avg Mileage 115,116Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.5%

2022

74.2%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 722Avg Mileage 115,431Top Failure Brakes — 36.0%

2023

77.4%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 788Avg Mileage 112,662Top Failure Suspension — 27.5%

2024

78.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 1,416Avg Mileage 117,289Top Failure Suspension — 28.0%

MOT results for 1991 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	18	48.5%	5,158	119,621	Brakes — 30.0%
2010	19	49.8%	4,032	120,475	Brakes — 29.4%
2011	20	51.7%	3,008	118,142	Suspension — 28.7%
2012	21	53.4%	2,302	116,093	Suspension — 27.5%
2013	22	56.7%	1,922	115,581	Suspension — 64.5%
2014	23	54.1%	1,663	114,879	Suspension — 67.6%
2015	24	58.4%	1,504	115,487	Brakes — 59.2%
2016	25	62.7%	1,333	115,469	Suspension — 52.7%
2017	26	64.8%	1,209	115,919	Brakes — 45.9%
2018	27	65.9%	801	116,569	Brakes — 49.8%
2019	28	69.1%	795	114,931	Suspension — 38.0%
2020	29	74.5%	729	114,987	Suspension — 33.3%
2021	30	71.7%	869	115,116	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 36.5%
2022	31	74.2%	722	115,431	Brakes — 36.0%
2023	32	77.4%	788	112,662	Suspension — 27.5%
2024	33	78.0%	1,416	117,289	Suspension — 28.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1991 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Suspension

39.8%

— Consistent

Brakes

38.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

36.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Driver's View of the Road

15.5%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Tyres	17.4% (18 yrs)	9.0% (33 yrs)	-8.4%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	30.0% (18 yrs)	23.7% (33 yrs)	-6.3%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	28.8% (18 yrs)	28.0% (33 yrs)	-0.8%	⚪ —

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 1991 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 28,251 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.