1997 BMW 735 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

61.1%

Latest Pass Rate

2,100

Total Tests (All Years)

122,042 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 735 as it ages.

12 yrs56.0%

→ ↑2.5%

13 yrs58.5%

→ ↓3.8%

14 yrs54.7%

→ ↓2.5%

15 yrs52.2%

→ ↑1.6%

16 yrs53.8%

→ ↑2.3%

17 yrs56.1%

→ ↑3.3%

18 yrs59.4%

→ ↑7.3%

19 yrs66.7%

→ ↓11.0%

20 yrs55.7%

→ ↑14.5%

21 yrs70.2%

→ ↓7.5%

22 yrs62.7%

→ ↑2.3%

23 yrs65.0%

→ ↑18.7%

24 yrs83.7%

→ ↓9.4%

25 yrs74.3%

→ ↑4.1%

26 yrs78.4%

→ ↓17.3%

27 yrs61.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	56.0%	384
13 yrs	58.5%	359
14 yrs	54.7%	285
15 yrs	52.2%	201
16 yrs	53.8%	156
17 yrs	56.1%	114
18 yrs	59.4%	106
19 yrs	66.7%	99
20 yrs	55.7%	79
21 yrs	70.2%	57
22 yrs	62.7%	51
23 yrs	65.0%	40
24 yrs	83.7%	43
25 yrs	74.3%	35
26 yrs	78.4%	37
27 yrs	61.1%	54

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW 735 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	61.1%	54
2023 (26 yrs)	78.4%	37
2022 (25 yrs)	74.3%	35
2021 (24 yrs)	83.7%	43
2020 (23 yrs)	65%	40
2019 (22 yrs)	62.7%	51
2018 (21 yrs)	70.2%	57
2017 (20 yrs)	55.7%	79
2016 (19 yrs)	66.7%	99
2015 (18 yrs)	59.4%	106
2014 (17 yrs)	56.1%	114
2013 (16 yrs)	53.8%	156
2012 (15 yrs)	52.2%	201
2011 (14 yrs)	54.7%	285
2010 (13 yrs)	58.5%	359
2009 (12 yrs)	56%	384

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

56.0%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 384Avg Mileage 121,255Top Failure Brakes — 22.4%

2010High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 359Avg Mileage 124,720Top Failure Brakes — 24.0%

2011High Fail Rate

54.7%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 285Avg Mileage 121,427Top Failure Brakes — 24.6%

2012High Fail Rate

52.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 201Avg Mileage 116,356Top Failure Suspension — 26.4%

2013High Fail Rate

53.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 156Avg Mileage 124,941Top Failure Suspension — 64.7%

2014High Fail Rate

56.1%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 114Avg Mileage 124,565Top Failure Suspension — 69.3%

2015High Fail Rate

59.4%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 106Avg Mileage 124,119Top Failure Brakes — 84.0%

2016

66.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 99Avg Mileage 123,615Top Failure Brakes — 55.6%

2017High Fail Rate

55.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 79Avg Mileage 122,281Top Failure Brakes — 73.4%

2018

70.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 57Avg Mileage 117,435Top Failure Brakes — 45.6%

2019High Fail Rate

62.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 51Avg Mileage 122,931Top Failure Brakes — 45.1%

2020

65.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 40Avg Mileage 118,252Top Failure Suspension — 35.0%

2021

83.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 43Avg Mileage 115,452Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 27.9%

2022

74.3%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 35Avg Mileage 117,040Top Failure Brakes — 31.4%

2023

78.4%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 37Avg Mileage 114,830Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.5%

2024High Fail Rate

61.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 54Avg Mileage 122,042Top Failure Brakes — 55.6%

MOT results for 1997 BMW 735 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	56.0%	384	121,255	Brakes — 22.4%
2010	13	58.5%	359	124,720	Brakes — 24.0%
2011	14	54.7%	285	121,427	Brakes — 24.6%
2012	15	52.2%	201	116,356	Suspension — 26.4%
2013	16	53.8%	156	124,941	Suspension — 64.7%
2014	17	56.1%	114	124,565	Suspension — 69.3%
2015	18	59.4%	106	124,119	Brakes — 84.0%
2016	19	66.7%	99	123,615	Brakes — 55.6%
2017	20	55.7%	79	122,281	Brakes — 73.4%
2018	21	70.2%	57	117,435	Brakes — 45.6%
2019	22	62.7%	51	122,931	Brakes — 45.1%
2020	23	65.0%	40	118,252	Suspension — 35.0%
2021	24	83.7%	43	115,452	Noise, emissions and leaks — 27.9%
2022	25	74.3%	35	117,040	Brakes — 31.4%
2023	26	78.4%	37	114,830	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.5%
2024	27	61.1%	54	122,042	Brakes — 55.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW 735, with age trends.

Brakes

41.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

37.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

25.6%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

25.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.4%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	22.4% (12 yrs)	55.6% (27 yrs)	+33.2%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	19.5% (12 yrs)	48.1% (27 yrs)	+28.6%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	12.0% (12 yrs)	25.9% (27 yrs)	+13.9%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1985 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

← Back to BMW 735 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 735 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 735 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,100 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.