1998 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

67.6%

Latest Pass Rate

135,964

Total Tests (All Years)

118,809 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 1998 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

11 yrs48.7%

→ ↓1.5%

12 yrs47.2%

→ ↓2.2%

13 yrs45.0%

→ ↓0.0%

14 yrs45.0%

→ ↓0.0%

15 yrs45.0%

→ ↑1.4%

16 yrs46.4%

→ ↑2.2%

17 yrs48.6%

→ ↑1.7%

18 yrs50.3%

→ ↑4.0%

19 yrs54.3%

→ ↑2.0%

20 yrs56.3%

→ ↑2.1%

21 yrs58.4%

→ ↑1.7%

22 yrs60.1%

→ ↑3.6%

23 yrs63.7%

→ ↑3.5%

24 yrs67.2%

→ ↑0.4%

25 yrs67.6%

→ ↓0.0%

26 yrs67.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	48.7%	21,863
12 yrs	47.2%	20,017
13 yrs	45.0%	18,090
14 yrs	45.0%	14,959
15 yrs	45.0%	12,088
16 yrs	46.4%	9,527
17 yrs	48.6%	7,621
18 yrs	50.3%	5,980
19 yrs	54.3%	4,562
20 yrs	56.3%	3,599
21 yrs	58.4%	3,128
22 yrs	60.1%	2,548
23 yrs	63.7%	2,932
24 yrs	67.2%	2,230
25 yrs	67.6%	2,401
26 yrs	67.6%	4,419

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	67.6%	4,419
2023 (25 yrs)	67.6%	2,401
2022 (24 yrs)	67.2%	2,230
2021 (23 yrs)	63.7%	2,932
2020 (22 yrs)	60.1%	2,548
2019 (21 yrs)	58.4%	3,128
2018 (20 yrs)	56.3%	3,599
2017 (19 yrs)	54.3%	4,562
2016 (18 yrs)	50.3%	5,980
2015 (17 yrs)	48.6%	7,621
2014 (16 yrs)	46.4%	9,527
2013 (15 yrs)	45%	12,088
2012 (14 yrs)	45%	14,959
2011 (13 yrs)	45%	18,090
2010 (12 yrs)	47.2%	20,017
2009 (11 yrs)	48.7%	21,863

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

48.7%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 21,863Avg Mileage 103,489Top Failure Brakes — 33.0%

2010High Fail Rate

47.2%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 20,017Avg Mileage 108,731Top Failure Brakes — 34.3%

2011High Fail Rate

45.0%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 18,090Avg Mileage 112,097Top Failure Brakes — 35.9%

2012High Fail Rate

45.0%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 14,959Avg Mileage 114,673Top Failure Brakes — 36.8%

2013High Fail Rate

45.0%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 12,088Avg Mileage 115,473Top Failure Brakes — 103.3%

2014High Fail Rate

46.4%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 9,527Avg Mileage 116,696Top Failure Brakes — 97.3%

2015High Fail Rate

48.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 7,621Avg Mileage 117,696Top Failure Brakes — 90.3%

2016High Fail Rate

50.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 5,980Avg Mileage 117,524Top Failure Brakes — 82.9%

2017High Fail Rate

54.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 4,562Avg Mileage 116,762Top Failure Brakes — 72.7%

2018High Fail Rate

56.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 3,599Avg Mileage 120,585Top Failure Brakes — 68.2%

2019High Fail Rate

58.4%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 3,128Avg Mileage 119,347Top Failure Brakes — 62.1%

2020High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 2,548Avg Mileage 118,670Top Failure Brakes — 62.0%

2021High Fail Rate

63.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 2,932Avg Mileage 119,029Top Failure Brakes — 56.9%

2022

67.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 2,230Avg Mileage 117,390Top Failure Brakes — 52.7%

2023

67.6%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 2,401Avg Mileage 117,878Top Failure Brakes — 47.4%

2024

67.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 4,419Avg Mileage 118,809Top Failure Suspension — 33.2%

MOT results for 1998 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	48.7%	21,863	103,489	Brakes — 33.0%
2010	12	47.2%	20,017	108,731	Brakes — 34.3%
2011	13	45.0%	18,090	112,097	Brakes — 35.9%
2012	14	45.0%	14,959	114,673	Brakes — 36.8%
2013	15	45.0%	12,088	115,473	Brakes — 103.3%
2014	16	46.4%	9,527	116,696	Brakes — 97.3%
2015	17	48.6%	7,621	117,696	Brakes — 90.3%
2016	18	50.3%	5,980	117,524	Brakes — 82.9%
2017	19	54.3%	4,562	116,762	Brakes — 72.7%
2018	20	56.3%	3,599	120,585	Brakes — 68.2%
2019	21	58.4%	3,128	119,347	Brakes — 62.1%
2020	22	60.1%	2,548	118,670	Brakes — 62.0%
2021	23	63.7%	2,932	119,029	Brakes — 56.9%
2022	24	67.2%	2,230	117,390	Brakes — 52.7%
2023	25	67.6%	2,401	117,878	Brakes — 47.4%
2024	26	67.6%	4,419	118,809	Suspension — 33.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

60.6%

— Consistent

Suspension

50.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.3%

— Consistent

Tyres

24.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	27.9% (11 yrs)	33.2% (26 yrs)	+5.3%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	17.5% (11 yrs)	15.8% (26 yrs)	-1.7%	⚪ —
Brakes	33.0% (11 yrs)	33.1% (26 yrs)	+0.1%	⚪ —

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 135,964 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.