1988 BMW 635 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age

38 years

Current Age

81.3%

Latest Pass Rate

1,720

Total Tests (All Years)

113,696 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 1988 BMW 635 as it ages.

21 yrs50.6%

→ ↑6.0%

22 yrs56.6%

→ ↓2.0%

23 yrs54.6%

→ ↑0.7%

24 yrs55.3%

→ ↑5.9%

25 yrs61.2%

→ ↑6.9%

26 yrs68.1%

→ ↓8.3%

27 yrs59.8%

→ ↑9.0%

28 yrs68.8%

→ ↑0.6%

29 yrs69.4%

→ ↑4.5%

30 yrs73.9%

→ ↓1.3%

31 yrs72.6%

→ ↓8.3%

32 yrs64.3%

→ ↑7.5%

33 yrs71.8%

→ ↑12.3%

34 yrs84.1%

→ ↓11.7%

35 yrs72.4%

→ ↑8.9%

36 yrs81.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
21 yrs	50.6%	168
22 yrs	56.6%	145
23 yrs	54.6%	141
24 yrs	55.3%	123
25 yrs	61.2%	129
26 yrs	68.1%	116
27 yrs	59.8%	117
28 yrs	68.8%	112
29 yrs	69.4%	108
30 yrs	73.9%	69
31 yrs	72.6%	73
32 yrs	64.3%	56
33 yrs	71.8%	85
34 yrs	84.1%	63
35 yrs	72.4%	76
36 yrs	81.3%	139

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1988 BMW 635 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (36 yrs)	81.3%	139
2023 (35 yrs)	72.4%	76
2022 (34 yrs)	84.1%	63
2021 (33 yrs)	71.8%	85
2020 (32 yrs)	64.3%	56
2019 (31 yrs)	72.6%	73
2018 (30 yrs)	73.9%	69
2017 (29 yrs)	69.4%	108
2016 (28 yrs)	68.8%	112
2015 (27 yrs)	59.8%	117
2014 (26 yrs)	68.1%	116
2013 (25 yrs)	61.2%	129
2012 (24 yrs)	55.3%	123
2011 (23 yrs)	54.6%	141
2010 (22 yrs)	56.6%	145
2009 (21 yrs)	50.6%	168

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

50.6%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 168Avg Mileage 120,614Top Failure Brakes — 28.6%

2010High Fail Rate

56.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 145Avg Mileage 122,419Top Failure Suspension — 23.4%

2011High Fail Rate

54.6%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 141Avg Mileage 123,979Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.1%

2012High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 123Avg Mileage 124,330Top Failure Brakes — 27.6%

2013High Fail Rate

61.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 129Avg Mileage 121,040Top Failure Suspension — 67.4%

2014

68.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 116Avg Mileage 121,571Top Failure Suspension — 42.2%

2015High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 117Avg Mileage 119,771Top Failure Suspension — 66.7%

2016

68.8%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 112Avg Mileage 122,289Top Failure Brakes — 60.7%

2017

69.4%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 108Avg Mileage 123,539Top Failure Brakes — 40.7%

2018

73.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 69Avg Mileage 114,016Top Failure Suspension — 42.0%

2019

72.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 73Avg Mileage 116,265Top Failure Brakes — 28.8%

2020High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 56Avg Mileage 119,058Top Failure Suspension — 76.8%

2021

71.8%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 85Avg Mileage 120,364Top Failure Suspension — 55.3%

2022

84.1%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 63Avg Mileage 119,680Top Failure Suspension — 20.6%

2023

72.4%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 76Avg Mileage 118,679Top Failure Suspension — 32.9%

2024

81.3%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 139Avg Mileage 113,696Top Failure Brakes — 23.0%

MOT results for 1988 BMW 635 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	21	50.6%	168	120,614	Brakes — 28.6%
2010	22	56.6%	145	122,419	Suspension — 23.4%
2011	23	54.6%	141	123,979	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.1%
2012	24	55.3%	123	124,330	Brakes — 27.6%
2013	25	61.2%	129	121,040	Suspension — 67.4%
2014	26	68.1%	116	121,571	Suspension — 42.2%
2015	27	59.8%	117	119,771	Suspension — 66.7%
2016	28	68.8%	112	122,289	Brakes — 60.7%
2017	29	69.4%	108	123,539	Brakes — 40.7%
2018	30	73.9%	69	114,016	Suspension — 42.0%
2019	31	72.6%	73	116,265	Brakes — 28.8%
2020	32	64.3%	56	119,058	Suspension — 76.8%
2021	33	71.8%	85	120,364	Suspension — 55.3%
2022	34	84.1%	63	119,680	Suspension — 20.6%
2023	35	72.4%	76	118,679	Suspension — 32.9%
2024	36	81.3%	139	113,696	Brakes — 23.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1988 BMW 635, with age trends.

Suspension

39.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

31.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

29.3%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

23.6%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

22.4%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	28.6% (21 yrs)	23.0% (36 yrs)	-5.6%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	23.8% (21 yrs)	19.4% (36 yrs)	-4.4%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 2007 2008 2009 2010

← Back to BMW 635 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 635 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 635 cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,720 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.