1998 BMW 735 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

59.6%

Latest Pass Rate

2,509

Total Tests (All Years)

111,452 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 735 as it ages.

11 yrs59.3%

→ ↓1.0%

12 yrs58.3%

→ ↓9.3%

13 yrs49.0%

→ ↑3.2%

14 yrs52.2%

→ ↑0.6%

15 yrs52.8%

→ ↑7.8%

16 yrs60.6%

→ ↓5.8%

17 yrs54.8%

→ ↓0.3%

18 yrs54.5%

→ ↑1.6%

19 yrs56.1%

→ ↓9.3%

20 yrs46.8%

→ ↑12.1%

21 yrs58.9%

→ ↓4.2%

22 yrs54.7%

→ ↑8.3%

23 yrs63.0%

→ ↑2.9%

24 yrs65.9%

→ ↓0.0%

25 yrs65.9%

→ ↓6.3%

26 yrs59.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	59.3%	400
12 yrs	58.3%	338
13 yrs	49.0%	312
14 yrs	52.2%	255
15 yrs	52.8%	214
16 yrs	60.6%	193
17 yrs	54.8%	155
18 yrs	54.5%	134
19 yrs	56.1%	107
20 yrs	46.8%	62
21 yrs	58.9%	56
22 yrs	54.7%	53
23 yrs	63.0%	54
24 yrs	65.9%	41
25 yrs	65.9%	41
26 yrs	59.6%	94

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 BMW 735 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	59.6%	94
2023 (25 yrs)	65.9%	41
2022 (24 yrs)	65.9%	41
2021 (23 yrs)	63%	54
2020 (22 yrs)	54.7%	53
2019 (21 yrs)	58.9%	56
2018 (20 yrs)	46.8%	62
2017 (19 yrs)	56.1%	107
2016 (18 yrs)	54.5%	134
2015 (17 yrs)	54.8%	155
2014 (16 yrs)	60.6%	193
2013 (15 yrs)	52.8%	214
2012 (14 yrs)	52.2%	255
2011 (13 yrs)	49%	312
2010 (12 yrs)	58.3%	338
2009 (11 yrs)	59.3%	400

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

59.3%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 400Avg Mileage 114,854Top Failure Suspension — 19.5%

2010High Fail Rate

58.3%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 338Avg Mileage 117,167Top Failure Brakes — 21.0%

2011High Fail Rate

49.0%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 312Avg Mileage 120,549Top Failure Brakes — 26.3%

2012High Fail Rate

52.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 255Avg Mileage 123,814Top Failure Suspension — 25.1%

2013High Fail Rate

52.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 214Avg Mileage 121,969Top Failure Brakes — 71.0%

2014High Fail Rate

60.6%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 193Avg Mileage 119,252Top Failure Brakes — 61.1%

2015High Fail Rate

54.8%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 155Avg Mileage 121,464Top Failure Suspension — 61.3%

2016High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 134Avg Mileage 128,767Top Failure Suspension — 59.0%

2017High Fail Rate

56.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 107Avg Mileage 131,511Top Failure Brakes — 56.1%

2018High Fail Rate

46.8%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 62Avg Mileage 138,992Top Failure Tyres — 56.5%

2019High Fail Rate

58.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 56Avg Mileage 126,864Top Failure Suspension — 64.3%

2020High Fail Rate

54.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 53Avg Mileage 128,119Top Failure Brakes — 75.5%

2021High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 54Avg Mileage 121,223Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.7%

2022

65.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 41Avg Mileage 115,502Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 65.9%

2023

65.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 41Avg Mileage 111,091Top Failure Suspension — 36.6%

2024High Fail Rate

59.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 94Avg Mileage 111,452Top Failure Brakes — 38.3%

MOT results for 1998 BMW 735 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	59.3%	400	114,854	Suspension — 19.5%
2010	12	58.3%	338	117,167	Brakes — 21.0%
2011	13	49.0%	312	120,549	Brakes — 26.3%
2012	14	52.2%	255	123,814	Suspension — 25.1%
2013	15	52.8%	214	121,969	Brakes — 71.0%
2014	16	60.6%	193	119,252	Brakes — 61.1%
2015	17	54.8%	155	121,464	Suspension — 61.3%
2016	18	54.5%	134	128,767	Suspension — 59.0%
2017	19	56.1%	107	131,511	Brakes — 56.1%
2018	20	46.8%	62	138,992	Tyres — 56.5%
2019	21	58.9%	56	126,864	Suspension — 64.3%
2020	22	54.7%	53	128,119	Brakes — 75.5%
2021	23	63.0%	54	121,223	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 40.7%
2022	24	65.9%	41	115,502	Noise, emissions and leaks — 65.9%
2023	25	65.9%	41	111,091	Suspension — 36.6%
2024	26	59.6%	94	111,452	Brakes — 38.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 BMW 735, with age trends.

Brakes

43.0%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

42.5%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

34.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

29.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

24.4%

↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	17.8% (11 yrs)	38.3% (26 yrs)	+20.5%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	19.5% (11 yrs)	29.8% (26 yrs)	+10.3%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	15.8% (11 yrs)	21.3% (26 yrs)	+5.5%	🔴 ↑

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,509 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.