Skip to main content
Pass Your MOT

1998 BMW 520i Se Auto — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years
Current Age
58.1%
Latest Pass Rate
627
Total Tests (All Years)
127,609 mi
Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 17

This car: 58.1%
Average: 53.5%

✅ 4.6% above average (9249 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1998 BMW 520i Se Auto as it ages.

11 yrs51.0%
12 yrs63.8%
13 yrs49.1%
14 yrs50.5%
15 yrs46.2%
16 yrs47.2%
17 yrs58.1%

Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 11 to 17 years

Fail Rate %
📊 View as table
AgePass RateTests
11 yrs51.0%153
12 yrs63.8%116
13 yrs49.1%106
14 yrs50.5%91
15 yrs46.2%65
16 yrs47.2%53
17 yrs58.1%43

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 BMW 520i Se Auto pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

Trend shows improving over 7 years

Pass Rate %
📊 View as table
BuiltPass RateTests
2015 (17 yrs)58.1%43
2014 (16 yrs)47.2%53
2013 (15 yrs)46.2%65
2012 (14 yrs)50.5%91
2011 (13 yrs)49.1%106
2010 (12 yrs)63.8%116
2009 (11 yrs)51%153

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate
51.0%
Age (yrs) 11Tests 153Avg Mileage 124,710Top Failure Brakes — 28.1%
2010High Fail Rate
63.8%
Age (yrs) 12Tests 116Avg Mileage 116,984Top Failure Brakes — 23.3%
2011High Fail Rate
49.1%
Age (yrs) 13Tests 106Avg Mileage 126,545Top Failure Brakes — 29.2%
2012High Fail Rate
50.5%
Age (yrs) 14Tests 91Avg Mileage 128,637Top Failure Brakes — 35.2%
2013High Fail Rate
46.2%
Age (yrs) 15Tests 65Avg Mileage 124,977Top Failure Brakes — 86.2%
2014High Fail Rate
47.2%
Age (yrs) 16Tests 53Avg Mileage 128,971Top Failure Brakes — 92.5%
2015High Fail Rate
58.1%
Age (yrs) 17Tests 43Avg Mileage 127,609Top Failure Brakes — 53.5%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 BMW 520i Se Auto, with age trends.

Brakes
49.7%
↑ Increases with age
Suspension
30.7%
↑ Increases with age
Exhaust, Fuel and Emissions
29.5%
↓ Decreases with age
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment
26.9%
— Consistent
Tyres
22.0%
↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

CategoryAt YoungestAt OldestChangeTrend
Brakes28.1% (11 yrs)53.5% (17 yrs)
+25.4%
🔴 ↑
Tyres17.6% (11 yrs)25.6% (17 yrs)
+8.0%
🔴 ↑
Suspension17.6% (11 yrs)23.3% (17 yrs)
+5.7%
🔴 ↑
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment24.8% (11 yrs)23.3% (17 yrs)
-1.5%
⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 520i Se Auto page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 520i Se Auto cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2015, covering 627 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.

Share via WhatsApp Share on Facebook Report Issue