1998 BMW 740 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

82.6%

Latest Pass Rate

3,061

Total Tests (All Years)

136,624 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 740 as it ages.

11 yrs58.5%

→ ↑0.6%

12 yrs59.1%

→ ↓0.9%

13 yrs58.2%

→ ↓3.1%

14 yrs55.1%

→ ↑1.3%

15 yrs56.4%

→ ↑4.9%

16 yrs61.3%

→ ↓8.2%

17 yrs53.1%

→ ↑8.3%

18 yrs61.4%

→ ↓1.7%

19 yrs59.7%

→ ↓0.2%

20 yrs59.5%

→ ↑1.5%

21 yrs61.0%

→ ↑9.6%

22 yrs70.6%

→ ↑2.9%

23 yrs73.5%

→ ↑0.4%

24 yrs73.9%

→ ↓5.1%

25 yrs68.8%

→ ↑13.8%

26 yrs82.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	58.5%	475
12 yrs	59.1%	433
13 yrs	58.2%	378
14 yrs	55.1%	301
15 yrs	56.4%	250
16 yrs	61.3%	204
17 yrs	53.1%	175
18 yrs	61.4%	158
19 yrs	59.7%	134
20 yrs	59.5%	84
21 yrs	61.0%	77
22 yrs	70.6%	68
23 yrs	73.5%	83
24 yrs	73.9%	69
25 yrs	68.8%	80
26 yrs	82.6%	92

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 BMW 740 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	82.6%	92
2023 (25 yrs)	68.8%	80
2022 (24 yrs)	73.9%	69
2021 (23 yrs)	73.5%	83
2020 (22 yrs)	70.6%	68
2019 (21 yrs)	61%	77
2018 (20 yrs)	59.5%	84
2017 (19 yrs)	59.7%	134
2016 (18 yrs)	61.4%	158
2015 (17 yrs)	53.1%	175
2014 (16 yrs)	61.3%	204
2013 (15 yrs)	56.4%	250
2012 (14 yrs)	55.1%	301
2011 (13 yrs)	58.2%	378
2010 (12 yrs)	59.1%	433
2009 (11 yrs)	58.5%	475

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

58.5%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 475Avg Mileage 114,521Top Failure Brakes — 21.3%

2010High Fail Rate

59.1%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 433Avg Mileage 119,122Top Failure Brakes — 20.8%

2011High Fail Rate

58.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 378Avg Mileage 118,186Top Failure Brakes — 19.6%

2012High Fail Rate

55.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 301Avg Mileage 124,316Top Failure Brakes — 26.2%

2013High Fail Rate

56.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 250Avg Mileage 123,981Top Failure Brakes — 61.2%

2014High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 204Avg Mileage 124,610Top Failure Brakes — 55.4%

2015High Fail Rate

53.1%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 175Avg Mileage 126,441Top Failure Brakes — 61.1%

2016High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 158Avg Mileage 124,980Top Failure Brakes — 52.5%

2017High Fail Rate

59.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 134Avg Mileage 127,875Top Failure Brakes — 59.7%

2018High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 84Avg Mileage 131,284Top Failure Brakes — 83.3%

2019High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 77Avg Mileage 129,566Top Failure Brakes — 67.5%

2020

70.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 68Avg Mileage 125,160Top Failure Suspension — 45.6%

2021

73.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 83Avg Mileage 127,867Top Failure Brakes — 33.7%

2022

73.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 69Avg Mileage 131,144Top Failure Suspension — 34.8%

2023

68.8%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 80Avg Mileage 129,570Top Failure Suspension — 48.8%

2024

82.6%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 92Avg Mileage 136,624Top Failure Suspension — 28.3%

MOT results for 1998 BMW 740 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	58.5%	475	114,521	Brakes — 21.3%
2010	12	59.1%	433	119,122	Brakes — 20.8%
2011	13	58.2%	378	118,186	Brakes — 19.6%
2012	14	55.1%	301	124,316	Brakes — 26.2%
2013	15	56.4%	250	123,981	Brakes — 61.2%
2014	16	61.3%	204	124,610	Brakes — 55.4%
2015	17	53.1%	175	126,441	Brakes — 61.1%
2016	18	61.4%	158	124,980	Brakes — 52.5%
2017	19	59.7%	134	127,875	Brakes — 59.7%
2018	20	59.5%	84	131,284	Brakes — 83.3%
2019	21	61.0%	77	129,566	Brakes — 67.5%
2020	22	70.6%	68	125,160	Suspension — 45.6%
2021	23	73.5%	83	127,867	Brakes — 33.7%
2022	24	73.9%	69	131,144	Suspension — 34.8%
2023	25	68.8%	80	129,570	Suspension — 48.8%
2024	26	82.6%	92	136,624	Suspension — 28.3%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 BMW 740, with age trends.

Brakes

43.3%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

39.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

27.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

24.8%

— Consistent

Noise, emissions and leaks

20.8%

↓ 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
Suspension	20.8% (11 yrs)	28.3% (26 yrs)	+7.5%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	21.3% (11 yrs)	26.1% (26 yrs)	+4.8%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	14.9% (11 yrs)	19.6% (26 yrs)	+4.7%	🔴 ↑

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 3,061 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.