1997 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

70.7%

Latest Pass Rate

118,750

Total Tests (All Years)

117,092 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 1997 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

12 yrs47.1%

→ ↓2.5%

13 yrs44.6%

→ ↓1.4%

14 yrs43.2%

→ ↑0.9%

15 yrs44.1%

→ ↑0.2%

16 yrs44.3%

→ ↑2.3%

17 yrs46.6%

→ ↑1.6%

18 yrs48.2%

→ ↑2.6%

19 yrs50.8%

→ ↑2.4%

20 yrs53.2%

→ ↑2.6%

21 yrs55.8%

→ ↑4.2%

22 yrs60.0%

→ ↑1.8%

23 yrs61.8%

→ ↓0.1%

24 yrs61.7%

→ ↑4.8%

25 yrs66.5%

→ ↑0.1%

26 yrs66.6%

→ ↑4.1%

27 yrs70.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	47.1%	21,387
13 yrs	44.6%	19,289
14 yrs	43.2%	16,609
15 yrs	44.1%	13,073
16 yrs	44.3%	10,201
17 yrs	46.6%	7,711
18 yrs	48.2%	5,993
19 yrs	50.8%	4,607
20 yrs	53.2%	3,541
21 yrs	55.8%	2,682
22 yrs	60.0%	2,326
23 yrs	61.8%	1,935
24 yrs	61.7%	2,261
25 yrs	66.5%	1,769
26 yrs	66.6%	1,811
27 yrs	70.7%	3,555

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	70.7%	3,555
2023 (26 yrs)	66.6%	1,811
2022 (25 yrs)	66.5%	1,769
2021 (24 yrs)	61.7%	2,261
2020 (23 yrs)	61.8%	1,935
2019 (22 yrs)	60%	2,326
2018 (21 yrs)	55.8%	2,682
2017 (20 yrs)	53.2%	3,541
2016 (19 yrs)	50.8%	4,607
2015 (18 yrs)	48.2%	5,993
2014 (17 yrs)	46.6%	7,711
2013 (16 yrs)	44.3%	10,201
2012 (15 yrs)	44.1%	13,073
2011 (14 yrs)	43.2%	16,609
2010 (13 yrs)	44.6%	19,289
2009 (12 yrs)	47.1%	21,387

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

47.1%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 21,387Avg Mileage 110,494Top Failure Brakes — 35.6%

2010High Fail Rate

44.6%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 19,289Avg Mileage 115,203Top Failure Brakes — 38.3%

2011High Fail Rate

43.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 16,609Avg Mileage 117,107Top Failure Brakes — 39.3%

2012High Fail Rate

44.1%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 13,073Avg Mileage 118,782Top Failure Brakes — 39.3%

2013High Fail Rate

44.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 10,201Avg Mileage 118,835Top Failure Brakes — 114.7%

2014High Fail Rate

46.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 7,711Avg Mileage 118,978Top Failure Brakes — 103.3%

2015High Fail Rate

48.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 5,993Avg Mileage 118,679Top Failure Brakes — 95.1%

2016High Fail Rate

50.8%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,607Avg Mileage 117,747Top Failure Brakes — 86.9%

2017High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 3,541Avg Mileage 116,342Top Failure Brakes — 78.6%

2018High Fail Rate

55.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 2,682Avg Mileage 117,538Top Failure Brakes — 71.2%

2019High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 2,326Avg Mileage 115,963Top Failure Brakes — 69.0%

2020High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 1,935Avg Mileage 116,099Top Failure Brakes — 66.0%

2021High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 2,261Avg Mileage 115,111Top Failure Brakes — 63.3%

2022

66.5%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 1,769Avg Mileage 116,128Top Failure Brakes — 60.9%

2023

66.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 1,811Avg Mileage 115,908Top Failure Brakes — 52.0%

2024

70.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 3,555Avg Mileage 117,092Top Failure Brakes — 40.5%

MOT results for 1997 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	47.1%	21,387	110,494	Brakes — 35.6%
2010	13	44.6%	19,289	115,203	Brakes — 38.3%
2011	14	43.2%	16,609	117,107	Brakes — 39.3%
2012	15	44.1%	13,073	118,782	Brakes — 39.3%
2013	16	44.3%	10,201	118,835	Brakes — 114.7%
2014	17	46.6%	7,711	118,978	Brakes — 103.3%
2015	18	48.2%	5,993	118,679	Brakes — 95.1%
2016	19	50.8%	4,607	117,747	Brakes — 86.9%
2017	20	53.2%	3,541	116,342	Brakes — 78.6%
2018	21	55.8%	2,682	117,538	Brakes — 71.2%
2019	22	60.0%	2,326	115,963	Brakes — 69.0%
2020	23	61.8%	1,935	116,099	Brakes — 66.0%
2021	24	61.7%	2,261	115,111	Brakes — 63.3%
2022	25	66.5%	1,769	116,128	Brakes — 60.9%
2023	26	66.6%	1,811	115,908	Brakes — 52.0%
2024	27	70.7%	3,555	117,092	Brakes — 40.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

65.9%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

52.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

29.4%

— Consistent

Tyres

24.1%

↓ 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	35.6% (12 yrs)	40.5% (27 yrs)	+4.9%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	29.2% (12 yrs)	34.0% (27 yrs)	+4.8%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	18.3% (12 yrs)	14.0% (27 yrs)	-4.3%	🟢 ↓

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 118,750 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.