1998 BMW 5 Series — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

69.9%

Latest Pass Rate

30,937

Total Tests (All Years)

127,498 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 1998 BMW 5 Series as it ages.

11 yrs52.1%

→ ↓1.6%

12 yrs50.5%

→ ↓1.2%

13 yrs49.3%

→ ↓0.9%

14 yrs48.4%

→ ↓2.1%

15 yrs46.3%

→ ↑1.5%

16 yrs47.8%

→ ↑2.4%

17 yrs50.2%

→ ↓0.0%

18 yrs50.2%

→ ↑1.9%

19 yrs52.1%

→ ↑3.5%

20 yrs55.6%

→ ↑3.7%

21 yrs59.3%

→ ↑0.2%

22 yrs59.5%

→ ↓0.1%

23 yrs59.4%

→ ↑6.5%

24 yrs65.9%

→ ↑1.2%

25 yrs67.1%

→ ↑2.8%

26 yrs69.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	52.1%	5,261
12 yrs	50.5%	4,698
13 yrs	49.3%	4,219
14 yrs	48.4%	3,388
15 yrs	46.3%	2,737
16 yrs	47.8%	2,254
17 yrs	50.2%	1,794
18 yrs	50.2%	1,487
19 yrs	52.1%	1,106
20 yrs	55.6%	732
21 yrs	59.3%	607
22 yrs	59.5%	472
23 yrs	59.4%	529
24 yrs	65.9%	384
25 yrs	67.1%	401
26 yrs	69.9%	868

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 BMW 5 Series pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	69.9%	868
2023 (25 yrs)	67.1%	401
2022 (24 yrs)	65.9%	384
2021 (23 yrs)	59.4%	529
2020 (22 yrs)	59.5%	472
2019 (21 yrs)	59.3%	607
2018 (20 yrs)	55.6%	732
2017 (19 yrs)	52.1%	1,106
2016 (18 yrs)	50.2%	1,487
2015 (17 yrs)	50.2%	1,794
2014 (16 yrs)	47.8%	2,254
2013 (15 yrs)	46.3%	2,737
2012 (14 yrs)	48.4%	3,388
2011 (13 yrs)	49.3%	4,219
2010 (12 yrs)	50.5%	4,698
2009 (11 yrs)	52.1%	5,261

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 5,261Avg Mileage 124,354Top Failure Brakes — 32.7%

2010High Fail Rate

50.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 4,698Avg Mileage 128,601Top Failure Brakes — 33.2%

2011High Fail Rate

49.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 4,219Avg Mileage 131,999Top Failure Brakes — 33.9%

2012High Fail Rate

48.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 3,388Avg Mileage 133,760Top Failure Brakes — 36.0%

2013High Fail Rate

46.3%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 2,737Avg Mileage 135,577Top Failure Brakes — 87.3%

2014High Fail Rate

47.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 2,254Avg Mileage 137,992Top Failure Brakes — 89.7%

2015High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 1,794Avg Mileage 138,135Top Failure Brakes — 85.3%

2016High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 1,487Avg Mileage 141,299Top Failure Brakes — 79.0%

2017High Fail Rate

52.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 1,106Avg Mileage 138,104Top Failure Brakes — 78.9%

2018High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 732Avg Mileage 133,856Top Failure Brakes — 66.9%

2019High Fail Rate

59.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 607Avg Mileage 132,982Top Failure Brakes — 63.3%

2020High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 472Avg Mileage 134,331Top Failure Brakes — 58.9%

2021High Fail Rate

59.4%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 529Avg Mileage 126,828Top Failure Brakes — 61.2%

2022

65.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 384Avg Mileage 127,087Top Failure Brakes — 63.5%

2023

67.1%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 401Avg Mileage 129,451Top Failure Suspension — 46.1%

2024

69.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 868Avg Mileage 127,498Top Failure Suspension — 41.5%

MOT results for 1998 BMW 5 Series by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	52.1%	5,261	124,354	Brakes — 32.7%
2010	12	50.5%	4,698	128,601	Brakes — 33.2%
2011	13	49.3%	4,219	131,999	Brakes — 33.9%
2012	14	48.4%	3,388	133,760	Brakes — 36.0%
2013	15	46.3%	2,737	135,577	Brakes — 87.3%
2014	16	47.8%	2,254	137,992	Brakes — 89.7%
2015	17	50.2%	1,794	138,135	Brakes — 85.3%
2016	18	50.2%	1,487	141,299	Brakes — 79.0%
2017	19	52.1%	1,106	138,104	Brakes — 78.9%
2018	20	55.6%	732	133,856	Brakes — 66.9%
2019	21	59.3%	607	132,982	Brakes — 63.3%
2020	22	59.5%	472	134,331	Brakes — 58.9%
2021	23	59.4%	529	126,828	Brakes — 61.2%
2022	24	65.9%	384	127,087	Brakes — 63.5%
2023	25	67.1%	401	129,451	Suspension — 46.1%
2024	26	69.9%	868	127,498	Suspension — 41.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 BMW 5 Series, with age trends.

Brakes

59.6%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

48.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

35.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Tyres

25.4%

↑ 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	22.2% (11 yrs)	41.5% (26 yrs)	+19.3%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	32.7% (11 yrs)	39.9% (26 yrs)	+7.2%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	16.4% (11 yrs)	21.1% (26 yrs)	+4.7%	🔴 ↑

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 30,937 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.