1996 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

71.6%

Latest Pass Rate

112,226

Total Tests (All Years)

114,944 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 1996 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

13 yrs45.2%

→ ↓1.4%

14 yrs43.8%

→ ↓1.0%

15 yrs42.8%

→ ↑1.5%

16 yrs44.3%

→ ↑1.6%

17 yrs45.9%

→ ↑1.6%

18 yrs47.5%

→ ↑3.1%

19 yrs50.6%

→ ↑2.2%

20 yrs52.8%

→ ↑1.7%

21 yrs54.5%

→ ↑0.6%

22 yrs55.1%

→ ↑5.1%

23 yrs60.2%

→ ↑0.4%

24 yrs60.6%

→ ↑0.8%

25 yrs61.4%

→ ↑4.8%

26 yrs66.2%

→ ↓1.5%

27 yrs64.7%

→ ↑6.9%

28 yrs71.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	45.2%	22,922
14 yrs	43.8%	20,098
15 yrs	42.8%	16,337
16 yrs	44.3%	12,173
17 yrs	45.9%	9,323
18 yrs	47.5%	6,959
19 yrs	50.6%	5,418
20 yrs	52.8%	4,081
21 yrs	54.5%	3,172
22 yrs	55.1%	2,000
23 yrs	60.2%	1,727
24 yrs	60.6%	1,423
25 yrs	61.4%	1,594
26 yrs	66.2%	1,210
27 yrs	64.7%	1,283
28 yrs	71.6%	2,506

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	71.6%	2,506
2023 (27 yrs)	64.7%	1,283
2022 (26 yrs)	66.2%	1,210
2021 (25 yrs)	61.4%	1,594
2020 (24 yrs)	60.6%	1,423
2019 (23 yrs)	60.2%	1,727
2018 (22 yrs)	55.1%	2,000
2017 (21 yrs)	54.5%	3,172
2016 (20 yrs)	52.8%	4,081
2015 (19 yrs)	50.6%	5,418
2014 (18 yrs)	47.5%	6,959
2013 (17 yrs)	45.9%	9,323
2012 (16 yrs)	44.3%	12,173
2011 (15 yrs)	42.8%	16,337
2010 (14 yrs)	43.8%	20,098
2009 (13 yrs)	45.2%	22,922

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

45.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 22,922Avg Mileage 113,711Top Failure Brakes — 37.7%

2010High Fail Rate

43.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 20,098Avg Mileage 117,753Top Failure Brakes — 39.5%

2011High Fail Rate

42.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 16,337Avg Mileage 118,752Top Failure Brakes — 40.3%

2012High Fail Rate

44.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 12,173Avg Mileage 119,003Top Failure Brakes — 38.8%

2013High Fail Rate

45.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 9,323Avg Mileage 119,117Top Failure Brakes — 109.3%

2014High Fail Rate

47.5%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 6,959Avg Mileage 118,171Top Failure Brakes — 101.6%

2015High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 5,418Avg Mileage 118,257Top Failure Brakes — 89.9%

2016High Fail Rate

52.8%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 4,081Avg Mileage 116,724Top Failure Brakes — 80.3%

2017High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 3,172Avg Mileage 116,231Top Failure Brakes — 78.1%

2018High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 2,000Avg Mileage 117,064Top Failure Brakes — 73.8%

2019High Fail Rate

60.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,727Avg Mileage 114,358Top Failure Brakes — 65.9%

2020High Fail Rate

60.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 1,423Avg Mileage 112,842Top Failure Brakes — 67.0%

2021High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,594Avg Mileage 115,964Top Failure Brakes — 64.2%

2022

66.2%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,210Avg Mileage 113,073Top Failure Brakes — 57.1%

2023High Fail Rate

64.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 1,283Avg Mileage 115,336Top Failure Brakes — 56.9%

2024

71.6%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 2,506Avg Mileage 114,944Top Failure Brakes — 34.6%

MOT results for 1996 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	45.2%	22,922	113,711	Brakes — 37.7%
2010	14	43.8%	20,098	117,753	Brakes — 39.5%
2011	15	42.8%	16,337	118,752	Brakes — 40.3%
2012	16	44.3%	12,173	119,003	Brakes — 38.8%
2013	17	45.9%	9,323	119,117	Brakes — 109.3%
2014	18	47.5%	6,959	118,171	Brakes — 101.6%
2015	19	50.6%	5,418	118,257	Brakes — 89.9%
2016	20	52.8%	4,081	116,724	Brakes — 80.3%
2017	21	54.5%	3,172	116,231	Brakes — 78.1%
2018	22	55.1%	2,000	117,064	Brakes — 73.8%
2019	23	60.2%	1,727	114,358	Brakes — 65.9%
2020	24	60.6%	1,423	112,842	Brakes — 67.0%
2021	25	61.4%	1,594	115,964	Brakes — 64.2%
2022	26	66.2%	1,210	113,073	Brakes — 57.1%
2023	27	64.7%	1,283	115,336	Brakes — 56.9%
2024	28	71.6%	2,506	114,944	Brakes — 34.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

64.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

53.8%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

35.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

29.9%

— Consistent

Tyres

24.6%

↓ 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
Tyres	18.7% (13 yrs)	15.1% (28 yrs)	-3.6%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	37.7% (13 yrs)	34.6% (28 yrs)	-3.1%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	31.3% (13 yrs)	33.8% (28 yrs)	+2.5%	🔴 ↑

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 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 112,226 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.