1989 BMW 5 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

83.8%

Latest Pass Rate

5,236

Total Tests (All Years)

133,332 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 1989 BMW 5 Series as it ages.

20 yrs53.5%

→ ↓4.0%

21 yrs49.5%

→ ↑5.4%

22 yrs54.9%

→ ↓4.9%

23 yrs50.0%

→ ↑10.6%

24 yrs60.6%

→ ↑2.6%

25 yrs63.2%

→ ↓0.4%

26 yrs62.8%

→ ↓1.1%

27 yrs61.7%

→ ↑1.8%

28 yrs63.5%

→ ↑6.3%

29 yrs69.8%

→ ↓3.7%

30 yrs66.1%

→ ↑1.6%

31 yrs67.7%

→ ↑3.5%

32 yrs71.2%

→ ↑3.8%

33 yrs75.0%

→ ↑7.8%

34 yrs82.8%

→ ↑1.0%

35 yrs83.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	53.5%	1,226
21 yrs	49.5%	878
22 yrs	54.9%	621
23 yrs	50.0%	448
24 yrs	60.6%	335
25 yrs	63.2%	280
26 yrs	62.8%	231
27 yrs	61.7%	214
28 yrs	63.5%	181
29 yrs	69.8%	116
30 yrs	66.1%	115
31 yrs	67.7%	96
32 yrs	71.2%	118
33 yrs	75.0%	92
34 yrs	82.8%	87
35 yrs	83.8%	198

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 BMW 5 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	83.8%	198
2023 (34 yrs)	82.8%	87
2022 (33 yrs)	75%	92
2021 (32 yrs)	71.2%	118
2020 (31 yrs)	67.7%	96
2019 (30 yrs)	66.1%	115
2018 (29 yrs)	69.8%	116
2017 (28 yrs)	63.5%	181
2016 (27 yrs)	61.7%	214
2015 (26 yrs)	62.8%	231
2014 (25 yrs)	63.2%	280
2013 (24 yrs)	60.6%	335
2012 (23 yrs)	50%	448
2011 (22 yrs)	54.9%	621
2010 (21 yrs)	49.5%	878
2009 (20 yrs)	53.5%	1,226

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

53.5%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 1,226Avg Mileage 141,825Top Failure Brakes — 23.3%

2010High Fail Rate

49.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 878Avg Mileage 140,226Top Failure Brakes — 25.1%

2011High Fail Rate

54.9%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 621Avg Mileage 138,787Top Failure Suspension — 25.9%

2012High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 448Avg Mileage 136,174Top Failure Suspension — 32.1%

2013High Fail Rate

60.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 335Avg Mileage 136,003Top Failure Suspension — 73.7%

2014High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 280Avg Mileage 136,386Top Failure Suspension — 62.5%

2015High Fail Rate

62.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 231Avg Mileage 133,671Top Failure Suspension — 61.0%

2016High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 214Avg Mileage 131,672Top Failure Suspension — 57.9%

2017High Fail Rate

63.5%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 181Avg Mileage 131,203Top Failure Suspension — 43.1%

2018

69.8%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 116Avg Mileage 130,070Top Failure Suspension — 51.7%

2019

66.1%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 115Avg Mileage 127,648Top Failure Brakes — 30.4%

2020

67.7%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 96Avg Mileage 130,762Top Failure Suspension — 44.8%

2021

71.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 118Avg Mileage 127,880Top Failure Suspension — 44.9%

2022

75.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 92Avg Mileage 129,638Top Failure Suspension — 46.7%

2023

82.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 87Avg Mileage 133,896Top Failure Suspension — 34.5%

2024

83.8%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 198Avg Mileage 133,332Top Failure Suspension — 33.3%

MOT results for 1989 BMW 5 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	53.5%	1,226	141,825	Brakes — 23.3%
2010	21	49.5%	878	140,226	Brakes — 25.1%
2011	22	54.9%	621	138,787	Suspension — 25.9%
2012	23	50.0%	448	136,174	Suspension — 32.1%
2013	24	60.6%	335	136,003	Suspension — 73.7%
2014	25	63.2%	280	136,386	Suspension — 62.5%
2015	26	62.8%	231	133,671	Suspension — 61.0%
2016	27	61.7%	214	131,672	Suspension — 57.9%
2017	28	63.5%	181	131,203	Suspension — 43.1%
2018	29	69.8%	116	130,070	Suspension — 51.7%
2019	30	66.1%	115	127,648	Brakes — 30.4%
2020	31	67.7%	96	130,762	Suspension — 44.8%
2021	32	71.2%	118	127,880	Suspension — 44.9%
2022	33	75.0%	92	129,638	Suspension — 46.7%
2023	34	82.8%	87	133,896	Suspension — 34.5%
2024	35	83.8%	198	133,332	Suspension — 33.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 BMW 5 Series, with age trends.

Suspension

42.8%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

32.3%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.1%

— Consistent

Body, chassis, structure

22.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

20.3%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	22.5% (20 yrs)	33.3% (35 yrs)	+10.8%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	14.4% (20 yrs)	11.1% (35 yrs)	-3.3%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	23.3% (20 yrs)	24.2% (35 yrs)	+0.9%	⚪ —

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 5,236 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.