1999 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1999 perform at MOT as they age

27 years

Current Age

67.7%

Latest Pass Rate

200,413

Total Tests (All Years)

112,293 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 1999 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

10 yrs52.3%

→ ↓2.1%

11 yrs50.2%

→ ↓1.3%

12 yrs48.9%

→ ↓0.8%

13 yrs48.1%

→ ↓2.6%

14 yrs45.5%

→ ↑0.4%

15 yrs45.9%

→ ↑2.0%

16 yrs47.9%

→ ↑2.1%

17 yrs50.0%

→ ↑2.3%

18 yrs52.3%

→ ↑1.0%

19 yrs53.3%

→ ↑1.6%

20 yrs54.9%

→ ↑4.7%

21 yrs59.6%

→ ↑0.1%

22 yrs59.7%

→ ↑4.0%

23 yrs63.7%

→ ↑0.1%

24 yrs63.8%

→ ↑3.9%

25 yrs67.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
10 yrs	52.3%	28,255
11 yrs	50.2%	26,633
12 yrs	48.9%	25,257
13 yrs	48.1%	22,542
14 yrs	45.5%	19,518
15 yrs	45.9%	16,214
16 yrs	47.9%	13,098
17 yrs	50.0%	10,153
18 yrs	52.3%	7,665
19 yrs	53.3%	6,231
20 yrs	54.9%	5,177
21 yrs	59.6%	4,070
22 yrs	59.7%	4,290
23 yrs	63.7%	3,020
24 yrs	63.8%	3,159
25 yrs	67.7%	5,131

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1999 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (25 yrs)	67.7%	5,131
2023 (24 yrs)	63.8%	3,159
2022 (23 yrs)	63.7%	3,020
2021 (22 yrs)	59.7%	4,290
2020 (21 yrs)	59.6%	4,070
2019 (20 yrs)	54.9%	5,177
2018 (19 yrs)	53.3%	6,231
2017 (18 yrs)	52.3%	7,665
2016 (17 yrs)	50%	10,153
2015 (16 yrs)	47.9%	13,098
2014 (15 yrs)	45.9%	16,214
2013 (14 yrs)	45.5%	19,518
2012 (13 yrs)	48.1%	22,542
2011 (12 yrs)	48.9%	25,257
2010 (11 yrs)	50.2%	26,633
2009 (10 yrs)	52.3%	28,255

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 28,255Avg Mileage 97,267Top Failure Brakes — 29.0%

2010High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 26,633Avg Mileage 103,186Top Failure Brakes — 30.5%

2011High Fail Rate

48.9%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 25,257Avg Mileage 107,641Top Failure Brakes — 32.0%

2012High Fail Rate

48.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 22,542Avg Mileage 111,841Top Failure Brakes — 33.9%

2013High Fail Rate

45.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 19,518Avg Mileage 114,536Top Failure Brakes — 95.0%

2014High Fail Rate

45.9%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 16,214Avg Mileage 116,910Top Failure Brakes — 96.3%

2015High Fail Rate

47.9%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 13,098Avg Mileage 118,119Top Failure Brakes — 91.0%

2016High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 10,153Avg Mileage 118,801Top Failure Brakes — 82.1%

2017High Fail Rate

52.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 7,665Avg Mileage 117,831Top Failure Brakes — 81.0%

2018High Fail Rate

53.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 6,231Avg Mileage 117,966Top Failure Brakes — 76.8%

2019High Fail Rate

54.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 5,177Avg Mileage 118,092Top Failure Brakes — 70.4%

2020High Fail Rate

59.6%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 4,070Avg Mileage 115,244Top Failure Brakes — 63.4%

2021High Fail Rate

59.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 4,290Avg Mileage 115,172Top Failure Brakes — 66.5%

2022High Fail Rate

63.7%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 3,020Avg Mileage 112,758Top Failure Brakes — 58.4%

2023High Fail Rate

63.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 3,159Avg Mileage 112,662Top Failure Brakes — 57.8%

2024

67.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 5,131Avg Mileage 112,293Top Failure Brakes — 40.3%

MOT results for 1999 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	10	52.3%	28,255	97,267	Brakes — 29.0%
2010	11	50.2%	26,633	103,186	Brakes — 30.5%
2011	12	48.9%	25,257	107,641	Brakes — 32.0%
2012	13	48.1%	22,542	111,841	Brakes — 33.9%
2013	14	45.5%	19,518	114,536	Brakes — 95.0%
2014	15	45.9%	16,214	116,910	Brakes — 96.3%
2015	16	47.9%	13,098	118,119	Brakes — 91.0%
2016	17	50.0%	10,153	118,801	Brakes — 82.1%
2017	18	52.3%	7,665	117,831	Brakes — 81.0%
2018	19	53.3%	6,231	117,966	Brakes — 76.8%
2019	20	54.9%	5,177	118,092	Brakes — 70.4%
2020	21	59.6%	4,070	115,244	Brakes — 63.4%
2021	22	59.7%	4,290	115,172	Brakes — 66.5%
2022	23	63.7%	3,020	112,758	Brakes — 58.4%
2023	24	63.8%	3,159	112,662	Brakes — 57.8%
2024	25	67.7%	5,131	112,293	Brakes — 40.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1999 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

62.8%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

54.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

31.0%

— Consistent

Tyres

26.7%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	29.0% (10 yrs)	40.3% (25 yrs)	+11.3%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	25.8% (10 yrs)	36.3% (25 yrs)	+10.5%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	16.5% (10 yrs)	18.9% (25 yrs)	+2.4%	🔴 ↑

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 1999 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 200,413 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.