2006 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2006 perform at MOT as they age

20 years

Current Age

69.2%

Latest Pass Rate

540,425

Total Tests (All Years)

134,746 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 18

This car: 69.2%

Average: 54.3%

✅ 14.9% above average (8383 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2006 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

3 yrs82.3%

→ ↓0.9%

4 yrs81.4%

→ ↓1.3%

5 yrs80.1%

→ ↓1.6%

6 yrs78.5%

→ ↓3.0%

7 yrs75.5%

→ ↓1.9%

8 yrs73.6%

→ ↓0.9%

9 yrs72.7%

→ ↓1.7%

10 yrs71.0%

→ ↓1.9%

11 yrs69.1%

→ ↓1.5%

12 yrs67.6%

→ ↓0.3%

13 yrs67.3%

→ ↓0.4%

14 yrs66.9%

→ ↓0.5%

15 yrs66.4%

→ ↓0.2%

16 yrs66.2%

→ ↑0.3%

17 yrs66.5%

→ ↑2.7%

18 yrs69.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
3 yrs	82.3%	43,165
4 yrs	81.4%	41,734
5 yrs	80.1%	41,529
6 yrs	78.5%	40,884
7 yrs	75.5%	40,847
8 yrs	73.6%	40,498
9 yrs	72.7%	39,895
10 yrs	71.0%	38,880
11 yrs	69.1%	37,422
12 yrs	67.6%	26,706
13 yrs	67.3%	26,635
14 yrs	66.9%	24,162
15 yrs	66.4%	28,665
16 yrs	66.2%	21,225
17 yrs	66.5%	22,591
18 yrs	69.2%	25,587

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2006 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (18 yrs)	69.2%	25,587
2023 (17 yrs)	66.5%	22,591
2022 (16 yrs)	66.2%	21,225
2021 (15 yrs)	66.4%	28,665
2020 (14 yrs)	66.9%	24,162
2019 (13 yrs)	67.3%	26,635
2018 (12 yrs)	67.6%	26,706
2017 (11 yrs)	69.1%	37,422
2016 (10 yrs)	71%	38,880
2015 (9 yrs)	72.7%	39,895
2014 (8 yrs)	73.6%	40,498
2013 (7 yrs)	75.5%	40,847
2012 (6 yrs)	78.5%	40,884
2011 (5 yrs)	80.1%	41,529
2010 (4 yrs)	81.4%	41,734
2009 (3 yrs)	82.3%	43,165

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

82.3%

Age (yrs) 3Tests 43,165Avg Mileage 39,761Top Failure Tyres — 8.9%

2010

81.4%

Age (yrs) 4Tests 41,734Avg Mileage 49,134Top Failure Tyres — 9.5%

2011

80.1%

Age (yrs) 5Tests 41,529Avg Mileage 58,111Top Failure Tyres — 10.2%

2012

78.5%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 40,884Avg Mileage 67,141Top Failure Tyres — 10.6%

2013

75.5%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 40,847Avg Mileage 75,804Top Failure Tyres — 23.1%

2014

73.6%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 40,498Avg Mileage 84,284Top Failure Tyres — 23.8%

2015

72.7%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 39,895Avg Mileage 92,373Top Failure Brakes — 26.5%

2016

71.0%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 38,880Avg Mileage 100,064Top Failure Brakes — 31.9%

2017

69.1%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 37,422Avg Mileage 107,054Top Failure Brakes — 38.0%

2018

67.6%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 26,706Avg Mileage 113,207Top Failure Brakes — 42.4%

2019

67.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 26,635Avg Mileage 118,582Top Failure Brakes — 49.7%

2020

66.9%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 24,162Avg Mileage 123,282Top Failure Brakes — 53.5%

2021

66.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 28,665Avg Mileage 126,592Top Failure Brakes — 57.8%

2022

66.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 21,225Avg Mileage 129,674Top Failure Brakes — 59.8%

2023

66.5%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 22,591Avg Mileage 132,528Top Failure Brakes — 61.9%

2024

69.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 25,587Avg Mileage 134,746Top Failure Brakes — 43.9%

MOT results for 2006 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	3	82.3%	43,165	39,761	Tyres — 8.9%
2010	4	81.4%	41,734	49,134	Tyres — 9.5%
2011	5	80.1%	41,529	58,111	Tyres — 10.2%
2012	6	78.5%	40,884	67,141	Tyres — 10.6%
2013	7	75.5%	40,847	75,804	Tyres — 23.1%
2014	8	73.6%	40,498	84,284	Tyres — 23.8%
2015	9	72.7%	39,895	92,373	Brakes — 26.5%
2016	10	71.0%	38,880	100,064	Brakes — 31.9%
2017	11	69.1%	37,422	107,054	Brakes — 38.0%
2018	12	67.6%	26,706	113,207	Brakes — 42.4%
2019	13	67.3%	26,635	118,582	Brakes — 49.7%
2020	14	66.9%	24,162	123,282	Brakes — 53.5%
2021	15	66.4%	28,665	126,592	Brakes — 57.8%
2022	16	66.2%	21,225	129,674	Brakes — 59.8%
2023	17	66.5%	22,591	132,528	Brakes — 61.9%
2024	18	69.2%	25,587	134,746	Brakes — 43.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2006 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

32.9%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

22.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

19.5%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

18.4%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

12.7%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	4.5% (3 yrs)	43.9% (18 yrs)	+39.4%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	8.9% (3 yrs)	21.3% (18 yrs)	+12.4%	🔴 ↑

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 2006 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 540,425 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.