2001 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2001 perform at MOT as they age

25 years

Current Age

66.2%

Latest Pass Rate

416,732

Total Tests (All Years)

115,411 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 2001 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

8 yrs57.8%

→ ↓2.6%

9 yrs55.2%

→ ↓2.1%

10 yrs53.1%

→ ↓1.5%

11 yrs51.6%

→ ↓1.7%

12 yrs49.9%

→ ↓0.4%

13 yrs49.5%

→ ↑1.7%

14 yrs51.2%

→ ↑1.2%

15 yrs52.4%

→ ↑0.4%

16 yrs52.8%

→ ↑1.2%

17 yrs54.0%

→ ↑1.1%

18 yrs55.1%

→ ↑2.7%

19 yrs57.8%

→ ↑2.4%

20 yrs60.2%

→ ↑1.6%

21 yrs61.8%

→ ↑1.4%

22 yrs63.2%

→ ↑3.0%

23 yrs66.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
8 yrs	57.8%	49,449
9 yrs	55.2%	47,775
10 yrs	53.1%	47,395
11 yrs	51.6%	44,911
12 yrs	49.9%	42,114
13 yrs	49.5%	38,520
14 yrs	51.2%	34,211
15 yrs	52.4%	29,184
16 yrs	52.8%	23,381
17 yrs	54.0%	13,157
18 yrs	55.1%	10,845
19 yrs	57.8%	8,201
20 yrs	60.2%	8,702
21 yrs	61.8%	5,919
22 yrs	63.2%	6,140
23 yrs	66.2%	6,828

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2001 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (23 yrs)	66.2%	6,828
2023 (22 yrs)	63.2%	6,140
2022 (21 yrs)	61.8%	5,919
2021 (20 yrs)	60.2%	8,702
2020 (19 yrs)	57.8%	8,201
2019 (18 yrs)	55.1%	10,845
2018 (17 yrs)	54%	13,157
2017 (16 yrs)	52.8%	23,381
2016 (15 yrs)	52.4%	29,184
2015 (14 yrs)	51.2%	34,211
2014 (13 yrs)	49.5%	38,520
2013 (12 yrs)	49.9%	42,114
2012 (11 yrs)	51.6%	44,911
2011 (10 yrs)	53.1%	47,395
2010 (9 yrs)	55.2%	47,775
2009 (8 yrs)	57.8%	49,449

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 49,449Avg Mileage 85,012Top Failure Brakes — 22.0%

2010High Fail Rate

55.2%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 47,775Avg Mileage 91,974Top Failure Suspension — 24.6%

2011High Fail Rate

53.1%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 47,395Avg Mileage 98,191Top Failure Suspension — 27.1%

2012High Fail Rate

51.6%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 44,911Avg Mileage 103,830Top Failure Suspension — 29.9%

2013High Fail Rate

49.9%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 42,114Avg Mileage 108,715Top Failure Brakes — 74.0%

2014High Fail Rate

49.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 38,520Avg Mileage 112,925Top Failure Brakes — 79.3%

2015High Fail Rate

51.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 34,211Avg Mileage 116,704Top Failure Brakes — 76.5%

2016High Fail Rate

52.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 29,184Avg Mileage 119,247Top Failure Brakes — 71.2%

2017High Fail Rate

52.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 23,381Avg Mileage 120,251Top Failure Brakes — 74.7%

2018High Fail Rate

54.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 13,157Avg Mileage 119,870Top Failure Brakes — 72.4%

2019High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 10,845Avg Mileage 119,641Top Failure Brakes — 70.8%

2020High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 8,201Avg Mileage 117,729Top Failure Brakes — 68.5%

2021High Fail Rate

60.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 8,702Avg Mileage 116,506Top Failure Brakes — 66.7%

2022High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 5,919Avg Mileage 116,623Top Failure Brakes — 64.9%

2023High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 6,140Avg Mileage 115,808Top Failure Brakes — 61.8%

2024

66.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 6,828Avg Mileage 115,411Top Failure Brakes — 42.9%

MOT results for 2001 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	8	57.8%	49,449	85,012	Brakes — 22.0%
2010	9	55.2%	47,775	91,974	Suspension — 24.6%
2011	10	53.1%	47,395	98,191	Suspension — 27.1%
2012	11	51.6%	44,911	103,830	Suspension — 29.9%
2013	12	49.9%	42,114	108,715	Brakes — 74.0%
2014	13	49.5%	38,520	112,925	Brakes — 79.3%
2015	14	51.2%	34,211	116,704	Brakes — 76.5%
2016	15	52.4%	29,184	119,247	Brakes — 71.2%
2017	16	52.8%	23,381	120,251	Brakes — 74.7%
2018	17	54.0%	13,157	119,870	Brakes — 72.4%
2019	18	55.1%	10,845	119,641	Brakes — 70.8%
2020	19	57.8%	8,201	117,729	Brakes — 68.5%
2021	20	60.2%	8,702	116,506	Brakes — 66.7%
2022	21	61.8%	5,919	116,623	Brakes — 64.9%
2023	22	63.2%	6,140	115,808	Brakes — 61.8%
2024	23	66.2%	6,828	115,411	Brakes — 42.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2001 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

57.9%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

49.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

36.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

35.0%

— Consistent

Tyres

26.2%

↑ Increases 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	22.0% (8 yrs)	42.9% (23 yrs)	+20.9%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	21.8% (8 yrs)	36.3% (23 yrs)	+14.5%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	14.0% (8 yrs)	21.3% (23 yrs)	+7.3%	🔴 ↑

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 2001 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 416,732 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.