1997 BMW 740 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

62.5%

Latest Pass Rate

2,712

Total Tests (All Years)

122,004 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 740 as it ages.

12 yrs59.3%

→ ↓4.8%

13 yrs54.5%

→ ↑2.0%

14 yrs56.5%

→ ↓6.3%

15 yrs50.2%

→ ↑5.1%

16 yrs55.3%

→ ↑5.3%

17 yrs60.6%

→ ↑6.1%

18 yrs66.7%

→ ↓16.0%

19 yrs50.7%

→ ↑9.0%

20 yrs59.7%

→ ↓1.1%

21 yrs58.6%

→ ↑2.2%

22 yrs60.8%

→ ↑7.7%

23 yrs68.5%

→ ↓1.2%

24 yrs67.3%

→ ↑4.1%

25 yrs71.4%

→ ↓0.8%

26 yrs70.6%

→ ↓8.1%

27 yrs62.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	59.3%	428
13 yrs	54.5%	389
14 yrs	56.5%	336
15 yrs	50.2%	293
16 yrs	55.3%	235
17 yrs	60.6%	180
18 yrs	66.7%	168
19 yrs	50.7%	140
20 yrs	59.7%	129
21 yrs	58.6%	70
22 yrs	60.8%	74
23 yrs	68.5%	54
24 yrs	67.3%	52
25 yrs	71.4%	49
26 yrs	70.6%	51
27 yrs	62.5%	64

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW 740 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	62.5%	64
2023 (26 yrs)	70.6%	51
2022 (25 yrs)	71.4%	49
2021 (24 yrs)	67.3%	52
2020 (23 yrs)	68.5%	54
2019 (22 yrs)	60.8%	74
2018 (21 yrs)	58.6%	70
2017 (20 yrs)	59.7%	129
2016 (19 yrs)	50.7%	140
2015 (18 yrs)	66.7%	168
2014 (17 yrs)	60.6%	180
2013 (16 yrs)	55.3%	235
2012 (15 yrs)	50.2%	293
2011 (14 yrs)	56.5%	336
2010 (13 yrs)	54.5%	389
2009 (12 yrs)	59.3%	428

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

59.3%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 428Avg Mileage 120,991Top Failure Brakes — 22.0%

2010High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 389Avg Mileage 124,538Top Failure Brakes — 23.7%

2011High Fail Rate

56.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 336Avg Mileage 129,503Top Failure Brakes — 24.4%

2012High Fail Rate

50.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 293Avg Mileage 131,231Top Failure Suspension — 33.4%

2013High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 235Avg Mileage 130,704Top Failure Brakes — 53.2%

2014High Fail Rate

60.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 180Avg Mileage 134,800Top Failure Suspension — 57.8%

2015

66.7%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 168Avg Mileage 131,127Top Failure Suspension — 44.6%

2016High Fail Rate

50.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 140Avg Mileage 130,688Top Failure Suspension — 73.6%

2017High Fail Rate

59.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 129Avg Mileage 131,232Top Failure Brakes — 76.7%

2018High Fail Rate

58.6%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 70Avg Mileage 135,315Top Failure Brakes — 71.4%

2019High Fail Rate

60.8%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 74Avg Mileage 125,373Top Failure Brakes — 56.8%

2020

68.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 54Avg Mileage 132,049Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 44.4%

2021

67.3%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 52Avg Mileage 134,613Top Failure Brakes — 40.4%

2022

71.4%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 49Avg Mileage 123,861Top Failure Brakes — 40.8%

2023

70.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 51Avg Mileage 126,914Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 37.3%

2024High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 64Avg Mileage 122,004Top Failure Brakes — 50.0%

MOT results for 1997 BMW 740 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	59.3%	428	120,991	Brakes — 22.0%
2010	13	54.5%	389	124,538	Brakes — 23.7%
2011	14	56.5%	336	129,503	Brakes — 24.4%
2012	15	50.2%	293	131,231	Suspension — 33.4%
2013	16	55.3%	235	130,704	Brakes — 53.2%
2014	17	60.6%	180	134,800	Suspension — 57.8%
2015	18	66.7%	168	131,127	Suspension — 44.6%
2016	19	50.7%	140	130,688	Suspension — 73.6%
2017	20	59.7%	129	131,232	Brakes — 76.7%
2018	21	58.6%	70	135,315	Brakes — 71.4%
2019	22	60.8%	74	125,373	Brakes — 56.8%
2020	23	68.5%	54	132,049	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 44.4%
2021	24	67.3%	52	134,613	Brakes — 40.4%
2022	25	71.4%	49	123,861	Brakes — 40.8%
2023	26	70.6%	51	126,914	Noise, emissions and leaks — 37.3%
2024	27	62.5%	64	122,004	Brakes — 50.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW 740, with age trends.

Brakes

44.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

41.7%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

24.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

24.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

23.8%

↓ 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	22.0% (12 yrs)	50.0% (27 yrs)	+28.0%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	20.6% (12 yrs)	46.9% (27 yrs)	+26.3%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	14.3% (12 yrs)	12.5% (27 yrs)	-1.8%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 740 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 740 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 2,712 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.