1997 BMW 5 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

69.6%

Latest Pass Rate

20,300

Total Tests (All Years)

120,405 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 1997 BMW 5 Series as it ages.

12 yrs51.0%

→ ↓3.6%

13 yrs47.4%

→ ↑1.1%

14 yrs48.5%

→ ↓1.4%

15 yrs47.1%

→ ↑0.2%

16 yrs47.3%

→ ↑0.6%

17 yrs47.9%

→ ↑1.4%

18 yrs49.3%

→ ↑3.9%

19 yrs53.2%

→ ↑3.3%

20 yrs56.5%

→ ↓1.7%

21 yrs54.8%

→ ↑3.2%

22 yrs58.0%

→ ↑0.3%

23 yrs58.3%

→ ↓0.5%

24 yrs57.8%

→ ↑5.4%

25 yrs63.2%

→ ↑3.8%

26 yrs67.0%

→ ↑2.6%

27 yrs69.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	51.0%	3,846
13 yrs	47.4%	3,401
14 yrs	48.5%	2,874
15 yrs	47.1%	2,264
16 yrs	47.3%	1,747
17 yrs	47.9%	1,368
18 yrs	49.3%	1,071
19 yrs	53.2%	854
20 yrs	56.5%	635
21 yrs	54.8%	396
22 yrs	58.0%	338
23 yrs	58.3%	288
24 yrs	57.8%	339
25 yrs	63.2%	228
26 yrs	67.0%	224
27 yrs	69.6%	427

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW 5 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	69.6%	427
2023 (26 yrs)	67%	224
2022 (25 yrs)	63.2%	228
2021 (24 yrs)	57.8%	339
2020 (23 yrs)	58.3%	288
2019 (22 yrs)	58%	338
2018 (21 yrs)	54.8%	396
2017 (20 yrs)	56.5%	635
2016 (19 yrs)	53.2%	854
2015 (18 yrs)	49.3%	1,071
2014 (17 yrs)	47.9%	1,368
2013 (16 yrs)	47.3%	1,747
2012 (15 yrs)	47.1%	2,264
2011 (14 yrs)	48.5%	2,874
2010 (13 yrs)	47.4%	3,401
2009 (12 yrs)	51%	3,846

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

51.0%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 3,846Avg Mileage 127,407Top Failure Brakes — 33.2%

2010High Fail Rate

47.4%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 3,401Avg Mileage 131,799Top Failure Brakes — 36.1%

2011High Fail Rate

48.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 2,874Avg Mileage 134,851Top Failure Brakes — 35.4%

2012High Fail Rate

47.1%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 2,264Avg Mileage 135,083Top Failure Brakes — 35.6%

2013High Fail Rate

47.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 1,747Avg Mileage 135,091Top Failure Brakes — 94.5%

2014High Fail Rate

47.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 1,368Avg Mileage 136,785Top Failure Brakes — 91.2%

2015High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 1,071Avg Mileage 134,892Top Failure Brakes — 81.3%

2016High Fail Rate

53.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 854Avg Mileage 134,669Top Failure Brakes — 73.3%

2017High Fail Rate

56.5%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 635Avg Mileage 133,969Top Failure Brakes — 70.6%

2018High Fail Rate

54.8%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 396Avg Mileage 133,510Top Failure Brakes — 67.2%

2019High Fail Rate

58.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 338Avg Mileage 128,854Top Failure Brakes — 67.8%

2020High Fail Rate

58.3%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 288Avg Mileage 130,418Top Failure Brakes — 63.5%

2021High Fail Rate

57.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 339Avg Mileage 126,996Top Failure Brakes — 71.4%

2022High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 228Avg Mileage 128,905Top Failure Brakes — 57.9%

2023

67.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 224Avg Mileage 128,513Top Failure Brakes — 50.9%

2024

69.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 427Avg Mileage 120,405Top Failure Suspension — 27.4%

MOT results for 1997 BMW 5 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	51.0%	3,846	127,407	Brakes — 33.2%
2010	13	47.4%	3,401	131,799	Brakes — 36.1%
2011	14	48.5%	2,874	134,851	Brakes — 35.4%
2012	15	47.1%	2,264	135,083	Brakes — 35.6%
2013	16	47.3%	1,747	135,091	Brakes — 94.5%
2014	17	47.9%	1,368	136,785	Brakes — 91.2%
2015	18	49.3%	1,071	134,892	Brakes — 81.3%
2016	19	53.2%	854	134,669	Brakes — 73.3%
2017	20	56.5%	635	133,969	Brakes — 70.6%
2018	21	54.8%	396	133,510	Brakes — 67.2%
2019	22	58.0%	338	128,854	Brakes — 67.8%
2020	23	58.3%	288	130,418	Brakes — 63.5%
2021	24	57.8%	339	126,996	Brakes — 71.4%
2022	25	63.2%	228	128,905	Brakes — 57.9%
2023	26	67.0%	224	128,513	Brakes — 50.9%
2024	27	69.6%	427	120,405	Suspension — 27.4%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW 5 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

59.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

48.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

35.0%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

24.2%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Suspension	19.5% (12 yrs)	27.4% (27 yrs)	+7.9%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	33.2% (12 yrs)	26.9% (27 yrs)	-6.3%	🟢 ↓
Tyres	16.7% (12 yrs)	12.4% (27 yrs)	-4.3%	🟢 ↓

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 20,300 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.