1996 BMW 523 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

51.9%

Latest Pass Rate

5,564

Total Tests (All Years)

131,912 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 1996 BMW 523 as it ages.

13 yrs46.3%

→ ↑0.5%

14 yrs46.8%

→ ↓0.9%

15 yrs45.9%

→ ↓1.1%

16 yrs44.8%

→ ↑4.0%

17 yrs48.8%

→ ↓3.5%

18 yrs45.3%

→ ↑5.4%

19 yrs50.7%

→ ↑0.6%

20 yrs51.3%

→ ↑5.6%

21 yrs56.9%

→ ↑4.7%

22 yrs61.6%

→ ↓6.4%

23 yrs55.2%

→ ↑5.5%

24 yrs60.7%

→ ↓2.5%

25 yrs58.2%

→ ↑0.8%

26 yrs59.0%

→ ↑13.1%

27 yrs72.1%

→ ↓20.2%

28 yrs51.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	46.3%	1,234
14 yrs	46.8%	1,043
15 yrs	45.9%	825
16 yrs	44.8%	627
17 yrs	48.8%	457
18 yrs	45.3%	342
19 yrs	50.7%	274
20 yrs	51.3%	199
21 yrs	56.9%	144
22 yrs	61.6%	73
23 yrs	55.2%	67
24 yrs	60.7%	61
25 yrs	58.2%	55
26 yrs	59.0%	39
27 yrs	72.1%	43
28 yrs	51.9%	81

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 BMW 523 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (28 yrs)	51.9%	81
2023 (27 yrs)	72.1%	43
2022 (26 yrs)	59%	39
2021 (25 yrs)	58.2%	55
2020 (24 yrs)	60.7%	61
2019 (23 yrs)	55.2%	67
2018 (22 yrs)	61.6%	73
2017 (21 yrs)	56.9%	144
2016 (20 yrs)	51.3%	199
2015 (19 yrs)	50.7%	274
2014 (18 yrs)	45.3%	342
2013 (17 yrs)	48.8%	457
2012 (16 yrs)	44.8%	627
2011 (15 yrs)	45.9%	825
2010 (14 yrs)	46.8%	1,043
2009 (13 yrs)	46.3%	1,234

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

46.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 1,234Avg Mileage 128,190Top Failure Brakes — 37.9%

2010High Fail Rate

46.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 1,043Avg Mileage 130,180Top Failure Brakes — 37.9%

2011High Fail Rate

45.9%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 825Avg Mileage 131,201Top Failure Brakes — 37.7%

2012High Fail Rate

44.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 627Avg Mileage 133,113Top Failure Brakes — 38.3%

2013High Fail Rate

48.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 457Avg Mileage 136,100Top Failure Brakes — 93.7%

2014High Fail Rate

45.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 342Avg Mileage 138,415Top Failure Brakes — 98.5%

2015High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 274Avg Mileage 139,564Top Failure Brakes — 86.5%

2016High Fail Rate

51.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 199Avg Mileage 137,135Top Failure Brakes — 80.4%

2017High Fail Rate

56.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 144Avg Mileage 137,445Top Failure Brakes — 81.9%

2018High Fail Rate

61.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 73Avg Mileage 126,176Top Failure Brakes — 45.2%

2019High Fail Rate

55.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 67Avg Mileage 125,760Top Failure Brakes — 65.7%

2020High Fail Rate

60.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 61Avg Mileage 125,256Top Failure Brakes — 80.3%

2021High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 55Avg Mileage 129,789Top Failure Suspension — 43.6%

2022High Fail Rate

59.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 39Avg Mileage 121,778Top Failure Suspension — 43.6%

2023

72.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 43Avg Mileage 127,583Top Failure Suspension — 53.5%

2024High Fail Rate

51.9%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 81Avg Mileage 131,912Top Failure Brakes — 40.7%

MOT results for 1996 BMW 523 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	46.3%	1,234	128,190	Brakes — 37.9%
2010	14	46.8%	1,043	130,180	Brakes — 37.9%
2011	15	45.9%	825	131,201	Brakes — 37.7%
2012	16	44.8%	627	133,113	Brakes — 38.3%
2013	17	48.8%	457	136,100	Brakes — 93.7%
2014	18	45.3%	342	138,415	Brakes — 98.5%
2015	19	50.7%	274	139,564	Brakes — 86.5%
2016	20	51.3%	199	137,135	Brakes — 80.4%
2017	21	56.9%	144	137,445	Brakes — 81.9%
2018	22	61.6%	73	126,176	Brakes — 45.2%
2019	23	55.2%	67	125,760	Brakes — 65.7%
2020	24	60.7%	61	125,256	Brakes — 80.3%
2021	25	58.2%	55	129,789	Suspension — 43.6%
2022	26	59.0%	39	121,778	Suspension — 43.6%
2023	27	72.1%	43	127,583	Suspension — 53.5%
2024	28	51.9%	81	131,912	Brakes — 40.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 BMW 523, with age trends.

Brakes

58.9%

— Consistent

Suspension

47.0%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

28.7%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

26.6%

↑ 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	20.3% (13 yrs)	39.5% (28 yrs)	+19.2%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	18.2% (13 yrs)	34.6% (28 yrs)	+16.4%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	37.9% (13 yrs)	40.7% (28 yrs)	+2.8%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2016

← Back to BMW 523 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 523 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 523 cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 5,564 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.