1985 BMW 5 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1985 perform at MOT as they age

41 years

Current Age

71.5%

Latest Pass Rate

1,384

Total Tests (All Years)

116,399 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 1985 BMW 5 Series as it ages.

24 yrs54.9%

→ ↑9.8%

25 yrs64.7%

→ ↑1.6%

26 yrs66.3%

→ ↓8.1%

27 yrs58.2%

→ ↓0.7%

28 yrs57.5%

→ ↑2.5%

29 yrs60.0%

→ ↓9.3%

30 yrs50.7%

→ ↑7.1%

31 yrs57.8%

→ ↑3.5%

32 yrs61.3%

→ ↑17.5%

33 yrs78.8%

→ ↓8.8%

34 yrs70.0%

→ ↑9.7%

35 yrs79.7%

→ ↓3.2%

36 yrs76.5%

→ ↓6.8%

37 yrs69.7%

→ ↑6.4%

38 yrs76.1%

→ ↓4.6%

39 yrs71.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
24 yrs	54.9%	153
25 yrs	64.7%	133
26 yrs	66.3%	104
27 yrs	58.2%	79
28 yrs	57.5%	73
29 yrs	60.0%	75
30 yrs	50.7%	67
31 yrs	57.8%	64
32 yrs	61.3%	62
33 yrs	78.8%	66
34 yrs	70.0%	70
35 yrs	79.7%	59
36 yrs	76.5%	81
37 yrs	69.7%	66
38 yrs	76.1%	88
39 yrs	71.5%	144

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1985 BMW 5 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (39 yrs)	71.5%	144
2023 (38 yrs)	76.1%	88
2022 (37 yrs)	69.7%	66
2021 (36 yrs)	76.5%	81
2020 (35 yrs)	79.7%	59
2019 (34 yrs)	70%	70
2018 (33 yrs)	78.8%	66
2017 (32 yrs)	61.3%	62
2016 (31 yrs)	57.8%	64
2015 (30 yrs)	50.7%	67
2014 (29 yrs)	60%	75
2013 (28 yrs)	57.5%	73
2012 (27 yrs)	58.2%	79
2011 (26 yrs)	66.3%	104
2010 (25 yrs)	64.7%	133
2009 (24 yrs)	54.9%	153

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

54.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 153Avg Mileage 113,568Top Failure Suspension — 24.8%

2010High Fail Rate

64.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 133Avg Mileage 113,272Top Failure Suspension — 20.3%

2011

66.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 104Avg Mileage 111,410Top Failure Suspension — 19.2%

2012High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 79Avg Mileage 113,740Top Failure Suspension — 26.6%

2013High Fail Rate

57.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 73Avg Mileage 112,633Top Failure Suspension — 83.6%

2014High Fail Rate

60.0%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 75Avg Mileage 111,601Top Failure Suspension — 64.0%

2015High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 67Avg Mileage 110,506Top Failure Suspension — 85.1%

2016High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 64Avg Mileage 110,951Top Failure Suspension — 60.9%

2017High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 62Avg Mileage 113,080Top Failure Suspension — 74.2%

2018

78.8%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 66Avg Mileage 116,228Top Failure Suspension — 22.7%

2019

70.0%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 70Avg Mileage 117,976Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.7%

2020

79.7%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 59Avg Mileage 111,984Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 37.3%

2021

76.5%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 81Avg Mileage 117,320Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.2%

2022

69.7%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 66Avg Mileage 115,950Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.4%

2023

76.1%

Age (yrs) 38Tests 88Avg Mileage 117,045Top Failure Suspension — 43.2%

2024

71.5%

Age (yrs) 39Tests 144Avg Mileage 116,399Top Failure Brakes — 33.3%

MOT results for 1985 BMW 5 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	24	54.9%	153	113,568	Suspension — 24.8%
2010	25	64.7%	133	113,272	Suspension — 20.3%
2011	26	66.3%	104	111,410	Suspension — 19.2%
2012	27	58.2%	79	113,740	Suspension — 26.6%
2013	28	57.5%	73	112,633	Suspension — 83.6%
2014	29	60.0%	75	111,601	Suspension — 64.0%
2015	30	50.7%	67	110,506	Suspension — 85.1%
2016	31	57.8%	64	110,951	Suspension — 60.9%
2017	32	61.3%	62	113,080	Suspension — 74.2%
2018	33	78.8%	66	116,228	Suspension — 22.7%
2019	34	70.0%	70	117,976	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.7%
2020	35	79.7%	59	111,984	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 37.3%
2021	36	76.5%	81	117,320	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 27.2%
2022	37	69.7%	66	115,950	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 39.4%
2023	38	76.1%	88	117,045	Suspension — 43.2%
2024	39	71.5%	144	116,399	Brakes — 33.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1985 BMW 5 Series, with age trends.

Suspension

40.7%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

28.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

28.4%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

17.0%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	19.0% (24 yrs)	33.3% (39 yrs)	+14.3%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	24.8% (24 yrs)	22.2% (39 yrs)	-2.6%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 5 Series page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 5 Series cars manufactured in 1985 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,384 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.