2008 BMW 3 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2008 perform at MOT as they age

18 years

Current Age

71.1%

Latest Pass Rate

468,008

Total Tests (All Years)

122,892 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 16

This car: 71.1%

Average: 52.7%

✅ 18.4% above average (10212 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2008 BMW 3 Series as it ages.

1 yrs84.8%

→ ↑1.8%

2 yrs86.6%

→ ↓6.3%

3 yrs80.3%

→ ↑0.9%

4 yrs81.2%

→ ↓2.4%

5 yrs78.8%

→ ↓1.5%

6 yrs77.3%

→ ↓1.8%

7 yrs75.5%

→ ↓1.7%

8 yrs73.8%

→ ↓2.3%

9 yrs71.5%

→ ↓2.1%

10 yrs69.4%

→ ↓0.6%

11 yrs68.8%

→ ↓0.5%

12 yrs68.3%

→ ↓0.2%

13 yrs68.1%

→ ↓1.0%

14 yrs67.1%

→ ↓0.0%

15 yrs67.1%

→ ↑4.0%

16 yrs71.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
1 yrs	84.8%	33
2 yrs	86.6%	2,218
3 yrs	80.3%	43,149
4 yrs	81.2%	40,454
5 yrs	78.8%	39,581
6 yrs	77.3%	38,864
7 yrs	75.5%	38,511
8 yrs	73.8%	37,790
9 yrs	71.5%	36,685
10 yrs	69.4%	26,658
11 yrs	68.8%	27,202
12 yrs	68.3%	25,543
13 yrs	68.1%	30,604
14 yrs	67.1%	23,285
15 yrs	67.1%	25,679
16 yrs	71.1%	31,752

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2008 BMW 3 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (16 yrs)	71.1%	31,752
2023 (15 yrs)	67.1%	25,679
2022 (14 yrs)	67.1%	23,285
2021 (13 yrs)	68.1%	30,604
2020 (12 yrs)	68.3%	25,543
2019 (11 yrs)	68.8%	27,202
2018 (10 yrs)	69.4%	26,658
2017 (9 yrs)	71.5%	36,685
2016 (8 yrs)	73.8%	37,790
2015 (7 yrs)	75.5%	38,511
2014 (6 yrs)	77.3%	38,864
2013 (5 yrs)	78.8%	39,581
2012 (4 yrs)	81.2%	40,454
2011 (3 yrs)	80.3%	43,149
2010 (2 yrs)	86.6%	2,218
2009 (1 yrs)	84.8%	33

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

84.8%

Age (yrs) 1Tests 33Avg Mileage 17,754Top Failure Tyres — 9.1%

2010

86.6%

Age (yrs) 2Tests 2,218Avg Mileage 32,244Top Failure Tyres — 5.5%

2011

80.3%

Age (yrs) 3Tests 43,149Avg Mileage 41,065Top Failure Tyres — 9.7%

2012

81.2%

Age (yrs) 4Tests 40,454Avg Mileage 50,921Top Failure Tyres — 9.1%

2013

78.8%

Age (yrs) 5Tests 39,581Avg Mileage 60,015Top Failure Tyres — 20.5%

2014

77.3%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 38,864Avg Mileage 69,173Top Failure Tyres — 21.9%

2015

75.5%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 38,511Avg Mileage 77,791Top Failure Tyres — 22.1%

2016

73.8%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 37,790Avg Mileage 85,929Top Failure Tyres — 24.2%

2017

71.5%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 36,685Avg Mileage 93,269Top Failure Tyres — 23.4%

2018

69.4%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 26,658Avg Mileage 100,371Top Failure Brakes — 26.9%

2019

68.8%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 27,202Avg Mileage 105,878Top Failure Brakes — 32.5%

2020

68.3%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 25,543Avg Mileage 111,088Top Failure Brakes — 38.4%

2021

68.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 30,604Avg Mileage 114,287Top Failure Brakes — 41.7%

2022

67.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 23,285Avg Mileage 117,203Top Failure Brakes — 44.7%

2023

67.1%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 25,679Avg Mileage 121,057Top Failure Brakes — 46.6%

2024

71.1%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 31,752Avg Mileage 122,892Top Failure Brakes — 34.2%

MOT results for 2008 BMW 3 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	1	84.8%	33	17,754	Tyres — 9.1%
2010	2	86.6%	2,218	32,244	Tyres — 5.5%
2011	3	80.3%	43,149	41,065	Tyres — 9.7%
2012	4	81.2%	40,454	50,921	Tyres — 9.1%
2013	5	78.8%	39,581	60,015	Tyres — 20.5%
2014	6	77.3%	38,864	69,173	Tyres — 21.9%
2015	7	75.5%	38,511	77,791	Tyres — 22.1%
2016	8	73.8%	37,790	85,929	Tyres — 24.2%
2017	9	71.5%	36,685	93,269	Tyres — 23.4%
2018	10	69.4%	26,658	100,371	Brakes — 26.9%
2019	11	68.8%	27,202	105,878	Brakes — 32.5%
2020	12	68.3%	25,543	111,088	Brakes — 38.4%
2021	13	68.1%	30,604	114,287	Brakes — 41.7%
2022	14	67.1%	23,285	117,203	Brakes — 44.7%
2023	15	67.1%	25,679	121,057	Brakes — 46.6%
2024	16	71.1%	31,752	122,892	Brakes — 34.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2008 BMW 3 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

23.9%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

22.2%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

21.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

15.2%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

10.8%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Tyres	9.1% (1 yrs)	21.1% (16 yrs)	+12.0%	🔴 ↑

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 2008 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 468,008 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.