2005 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2005 perform at MOT as they age

21 years

Current Age

67.9%

Latest Pass Rate

432,976

Total Tests (All Years)

130,184 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 19

This car: 67.9%

Average: 55.4%

✅ 12.5% above average (7550 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2005 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

4 yrs79.6%

→ ↓1.9%

5 yrs77.7%

→ ↓2.4%

6 yrs75.3%

→ ↓2.5%

7 yrs72.8%

→ ↓3.6%

8 yrs69.2%

→ ↓1.9%

9 yrs67.3%

→ ↓0.9%

10 yrs66.4%

→ ↓2.1%

11 yrs64.3%

→ ↓0.9%

12 yrs63.4%

→ ↓1.0%

13 yrs62.4%

→ ↓0.0%

14 yrs62.4%

→ ↑0.5%

15 yrs62.9%

→ ↓0.0%

16 yrs62.9%

→ ↑0.6%

17 yrs63.5%

→ ↑1.4%

18 yrs64.9%

→ ↑3.0%

19 yrs67.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
4 yrs	79.6%	36,518
5 yrs	77.7%	35,300
6 yrs	75.3%	35,566
7 yrs	72.8%	35,112
8 yrs	69.2%	34,991
9 yrs	67.3%	34,594
10 yrs	66.4%	33,875
11 yrs	64.3%	32,661
12 yrs	63.4%	30,574
13 yrs	62.4%	20,951
14 yrs	62.4%	20,098
15 yrs	62.9%	17,703
16 yrs	62.9%	19,949
17 yrs	63.5%	14,119
18 yrs	64.9%	14,730
19 yrs	67.9%	16,235

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2005 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (19 yrs)	67.9%	16,235
2023 (18 yrs)	64.9%	14,730
2022 (17 yrs)	63.5%	14,119
2021 (16 yrs)	62.9%	19,949
2020 (15 yrs)	62.9%	17,703
2019 (14 yrs)	62.4%	20,098
2018 (13 yrs)	62.4%	20,951
2017 (12 yrs)	63.4%	30,574
2016 (11 yrs)	64.3%	32,661
2015 (10 yrs)	66.4%	33,875
2014 (9 yrs)	67.3%	34,594
2013 (8 yrs)	69.2%	34,991
2012 (7 yrs)	72.8%	35,112
2011 (6 yrs)	75.3%	35,566
2010 (5 yrs)	77.7%	35,300
2009 (4 yrs)	79.6%	36,518

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

79.6%

Age (yrs) 4Tests 36,518Avg Mileage 52,239Top Failure Tyres — 9.9%

2010

77.7%

Age (yrs) 5Tests 35,300Avg Mileage 61,248Top Failure Tyres — 10.9%

2011

75.3%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 35,566Avg Mileage 70,342Top Failure Tyres — 11.7%

2012

72.8%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 35,112Avg Mileage 78,850Top Failure Tyres — 12.6%

2013

69.2%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 34,991Avg Mileage 86,934Top Failure Brakes — 33.2%

2014

67.3%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 34,594Avg Mileage 94,739Top Failure Brakes — 39.8%

2015

66.4%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 33,875Avg Mileage 102,367Top Failure Brakes — 46.5%

2016High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 32,661Avg Mileage 109,150Top Failure Brakes — 51.4%

2017High Fail Rate

63.4%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 30,574Avg Mileage 115,231Top Failure Brakes — 57.0%

2018High Fail Rate

62.4%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 20,951Avg Mileage 119,972Top Failure Brakes — 59.4%

2019High Fail Rate

62.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 20,098Avg Mileage 123,982Top Failure Brakes — 63.2%

2020High Fail Rate

62.9%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 17,703Avg Mileage 126,596Top Failure Brakes — 64.9%

2021High Fail Rate

62.9%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 19,949Avg Mileage 128,664Top Failure Brakes — 66.7%

2022High Fail Rate

63.5%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 14,119Avg Mileage 129,826Top Failure Brakes — 65.2%

2023High Fail Rate

64.9%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 14,730Avg Mileage 131,537Top Failure Brakes — 63.7%

2024

67.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 16,235Avg Mileage 130,184Top Failure Brakes — 44.1%

MOT results for 2005 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	4	79.6%	36,518	52,239	Tyres — 9.9%
2010	5	77.7%	35,300	61,248	Tyres — 10.9%
2011	6	75.3%	35,566	70,342	Tyres — 11.7%
2012	7	72.8%	35,112	78,850	Tyres — 12.6%
2013	8	69.2%	34,991	86,934	Brakes — 33.2%
2014	9	67.3%	34,594	94,739	Brakes — 39.8%
2015	10	66.4%	33,875	102,367	Brakes — 46.5%
2016	11	64.3%	32,661	109,150	Brakes — 51.4%
2017	12	63.4%	30,574	115,231	Brakes — 57.0%
2018	13	62.4%	20,951	119,972	Brakes — 59.4%
2019	14	62.4%	20,098	123,982	Brakes — 63.2%
2020	15	62.9%	17,703	126,596	Brakes — 64.9%
2021	16	62.9%	19,949	128,664	Brakes — 66.7%
2022	17	63.5%	14,119	129,826	Brakes — 65.2%
2023	18	64.9%	14,730	131,537	Brakes — 63.7%
2024	19	67.9%	16,235	130,184	Brakes — 44.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2005 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

43.2%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

26.6%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

23.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

22.1%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

14.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	7.0% (4 yrs)	44.1% (19 yrs)	+37.1%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	3.1% (4 yrs)	33.2% (19 yrs)	+30.1%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	9.9% (4 yrs)	20.3% (19 yrs)	+10.4%	🔴 ↑

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 2005 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 432,976 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.