1994 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1994 perform at MOT as they age

32 years

Current Age

63.0%

Latest Pass Rate

55,661

Total Tests (All Years)

114,837 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 1994 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

15 yrs43.6%

→ ↓0.9%

16 yrs42.7%

→ ↓0.2%

17 yrs42.5%

→ ↑1.4%

18 yrs43.9%

→ ↑2.2%

19 yrs46.1%

→ ↑0.7%

20 yrs46.8%

→ ↑3.6%

21 yrs50.4%

→ ↑2.6%

22 yrs53.0%

→ ↓0.0%

23 yrs53.0%

→ ↑3.2%

24 yrs56.2%

→ ↑1.6%

25 yrs57.8%

→ ↑7.9%

26 yrs65.7%

→ ↓1.4%

27 yrs64.3%

→ ↑1.5%

28 yrs65.8%

→ ↑0.1%

29 yrs65.9%

→ ↓2.9%

30 yrs63.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
15 yrs	43.6%	13,763
16 yrs	42.7%	11,196
17 yrs	42.5%	8,143
18 yrs	43.9%	5,633
19 yrs	46.1%	4,041
20 yrs	46.8%	2,940
21 yrs	50.4%	2,217
22 yrs	53.0%	1,672
23 yrs	53.0%	1,363
24 yrs	56.2%	762
25 yrs	57.8%	675
26 yrs	65.7%	565
27 yrs	64.3%	631
28 yrs	65.8%	520
29 yrs	65.9%	536
30 yrs	63.0%	1,004

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1994 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (30 yrs)	63%	1,004
2023 (29 yrs)	65.9%	536
2022 (28 yrs)	65.8%	520
2021 (27 yrs)	64.3%	631
2020 (26 yrs)	65.7%	565
2019 (25 yrs)	57.8%	675
2018 (24 yrs)	56.2%	762
2017 (23 yrs)	53%	1,363
2016 (22 yrs)	53%	1,672
2015 (21 yrs)	50.4%	2,217
2014 (20 yrs)	46.8%	2,940
2013 (19 yrs)	46.1%	4,041
2012 (18 yrs)	43.9%	5,633
2011 (17 yrs)	42.5%	8,143
2010 (16 yrs)	42.7%	11,196
2009 (15 yrs)	43.6%	13,763

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

43.6%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 13,763Avg Mileage 124,250Top Failure Brakes — 37.7%

2010High Fail Rate

42.7%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 11,196Avg Mileage 127,366Top Failure Brakes — 38.7%

2011High Fail Rate

42.5%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 8,143Avg Mileage 126,286Top Failure Brakes — 38.6%

2012High Fail Rate

43.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 5,633Avg Mileage 124,738Top Failure Brakes — 37.4%

2013High Fail Rate

46.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,041Avg Mileage 123,288Top Failure Brakes — 98.1%

2014High Fail Rate

46.8%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 2,940Avg Mileage 121,375Top Failure Brakes — 95.4%

2015High Fail Rate

50.4%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,217Avg Mileage 120,834Top Failure Brakes — 80.2%

2016High Fail Rate

53.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 1,672Avg Mileage 120,581Top Failure Brakes — 75.6%

2017High Fail Rate

53.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,363Avg Mileage 118,351Top Failure Brakes — 74.7%

2018High Fail Rate

56.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 762Avg Mileage 116,437Top Failure Brakes — 65.5%

2019High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 675Avg Mileage 116,897Top Failure Suspension — 64.0%

2020

65.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 565Avg Mileage 115,469Top Failure Brakes — 54.5%

2021High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 631Avg Mileage 114,527Top Failure Brakes — 56.9%

2022

65.8%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 520Avg Mileage 115,606Top Failure Brakes — 56.2%

2023

65.9%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 536Avg Mileage 115,429Top Failure Brakes — 53.2%

2024High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 1,004Avg Mileage 114,837Top Failure Brakes — 46.3%

MOT results for 1994 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	15	43.6%	13,763	124,250	Brakes — 37.7%
2010	16	42.7%	11,196	127,366	Brakes — 38.7%
2011	17	42.5%	8,143	126,286	Brakes — 38.6%
2012	18	43.9%	5,633	124,738	Brakes — 37.4%
2013	19	46.1%	4,041	123,288	Brakes — 98.1%
2014	20	46.8%	2,940	121,375	Brakes — 95.4%
2015	21	50.4%	2,217	120,834	Brakes — 80.2%
2016	22	53.0%	1,672	120,581	Brakes — 75.6%
2017	23	53.0%	1,363	118,351	Brakes — 74.7%
2018	24	56.2%	762	116,437	Brakes — 65.5%
2019	25	57.8%	675	116,897	Suspension — 64.0%
2020	26	65.7%	565	115,469	Brakes — 54.5%
2021	27	64.3%	631	114,527	Brakes — 56.9%
2022	28	65.8%	520	115,606	Brakes — 56.2%
2023	29	65.9%	536	115,429	Brakes — 53.2%
2024	30	63.0%	1,004	114,837	Brakes — 46.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1994 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

60.7%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

54.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

40.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

32.3%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

24.8%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	37.7% (15 yrs)	46.3% (30 yrs)	+8.6%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	33.1% (15 yrs)	40.7% (30 yrs)	+7.6%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	20.7% (15 yrs)	21.4% (30 yrs)	+0.7%	⚪ —

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 1994 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 55,661 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.