1987 BMW 5 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age

39 years

Current Age

79.6%

Latest Pass Rate

3,246

Total Tests (All Years)

128,433 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 1987 BMW 5 Series as it ages.

22 yrs51.8%

→ ↑1.1%

23 yrs52.9%

→ ↓2.9%

24 yrs50.0%

→ ↑2.2%

25 yrs52.2%

→ ↑1.7%

26 yrs53.9%

→ ↑4.3%

27 yrs58.2%

→ ↑1.9%

28 yrs60.1%

→ ↑1.7%

29 yrs61.8%

→ ↑5.5%

30 yrs67.3%

→ ↓1.6%

31 yrs65.7%

→ ↓0.5%

32 yrs65.2%

→ ↑2.8%

33 yrs68.0%

→ ↑7.0%

34 yrs75.0%

→ ↓6.7%

35 yrs68.3%

→ ↑5.6%

36 yrs73.9%

→ ↑5.7%

37 yrs79.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
22 yrs	51.8%	369
23 yrs	52.9%	323
24 yrs	50.0%	276
25 yrs	52.2%	224
26 yrs	53.9%	193
27 yrs	58.2%	189
28 yrs	60.1%	183
29 yrs	61.8%	178
30 yrs	67.3%	162
31 yrs	65.7%	143
32 yrs	65.2%	132
33 yrs	68.0%	122
34 yrs	75.0%	148
35 yrs	68.3%	123
36 yrs	73.9%	142
37 yrs	79.6%	339

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1987 BMW 5 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (37 yrs)	79.6%	339
2023 (36 yrs)	73.9%	142
2022 (35 yrs)	68.3%	123
2021 (34 yrs)	75%	148
2020 (33 yrs)	68%	122
2019 (32 yrs)	65.2%	132
2018 (31 yrs)	65.7%	143
2017 (30 yrs)	67.3%	162
2016 (29 yrs)	61.8%	178
2015 (28 yrs)	60.1%	183
2014 (27 yrs)	58.2%	189
2013 (26 yrs)	53.9%	193
2012 (25 yrs)	52.2%	224
2011 (24 yrs)	50%	276
2010 (23 yrs)	52.9%	323
2009 (22 yrs)	51.8%	369

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

51.8%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 369Avg Mileage 121,125Top Failure Suspension — 28.2%

2010High Fail Rate

52.9%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 323Avg Mileage 122,306Top Failure Suspension — 28.2%

2011High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 276Avg Mileage 121,926Top Failure Suspension — 25.4%

2012High Fail Rate

52.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 224Avg Mileage 119,704Top Failure Suspension — 35.7%

2013High Fail Rate

53.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 193Avg Mileage 122,847Top Failure Suspension — 78.8%

2014High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 189Avg Mileage 122,076Top Failure Suspension — 74.1%

2015High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 183Avg Mileage 120,194Top Failure Suspension — 74.3%

2016High Fail Rate

61.8%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 178Avg Mileage 122,326Top Failure Suspension — 77.5%

2017

67.3%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 162Avg Mileage 122,331Top Failure Suspension — 56.2%

2018

65.7%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 143Avg Mileage 122,468Top Failure Suspension — 60.8%

2019

65.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 132Avg Mileage 117,515Top Failure Suspension — 50.8%

2020

68.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 122Avg Mileage 124,931Top Failure Suspension — 45.9%

2021

75.0%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 148Avg Mileage 124,092Top Failure Suspension — 35.1%

2022

68.3%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 123Avg Mileage 122,957Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.5%

2023

73.9%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 142Avg Mileage 121,419Top Failure Suspension — 43.7%

2024

79.6%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 339Avg Mileage 128,433Top Failure Brakes — 20.6%

MOT results for 1987 BMW 5 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	22	51.8%	369	121,125	Suspension — 28.2%
2010	23	52.9%	323	122,306	Suspension — 28.2%
2011	24	50.0%	276	121,926	Suspension — 25.4%
2012	25	52.2%	224	119,704	Suspension — 35.7%
2013	26	53.9%	193	122,847	Suspension — 78.8%
2014	27	58.2%	189	122,076	Suspension — 74.1%
2015	28	60.1%	183	120,194	Suspension — 74.3%
2016	29	61.8%	178	122,326	Suspension — 77.5%
2017	30	67.3%	162	122,331	Suspension — 56.2%
2018	31	65.7%	143	122,468	Suspension — 60.8%
2019	32	65.2%	132	117,515	Suspension — 50.8%
2020	33	68.0%	122	124,931	Suspension — 45.9%
2021	34	75.0%	148	124,092	Suspension — 35.1%
2022	35	68.3%	123	122,957	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.5%
2023	36	73.9%	142	121,419	Suspension — 43.7%
2024	37	79.6%	339	128,433	Brakes — 20.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1987 BMW 5 Series, with age trends.

Suspension

48.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

32.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

31.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

29.1%

— Consistent

Driver's View of the Road

16.4%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	28.2% (22 yrs)	15.9% (37 yrs)	-12.3%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	21.1% (22 yrs)	20.6% (37 yrs)	-0.5%	⚪ —

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 1987 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 3,246 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.