1997 BMW 840 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

82.8%

Latest Pass Rate

4,089

Total Tests (All Years)

112,131 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 840 as it ages.

12 yrs63.1%

→ ↑1.9%

13 yrs65.0%

→ ↑1.2%

14 yrs66.2%

→ ↑1.3%

15 yrs67.5%

→ ↓4.0%

16 yrs63.5%

→ ↓1.0%

17 yrs62.5%

→ ↑3.3%

18 yrs65.8%

→ ↓0.7%

19 yrs65.1%

→ ↑3.5%

20 yrs68.6%

→ ↓5.0%

21 yrs63.6%

→ ↑4.7%

22 yrs68.3%

→ ↑0.1%

23 yrs68.4%

→ ↑4.6%

24 yrs73.0%

→ ↑4.2%

25 yrs77.2%

→ ↓0.2%

26 yrs77.0%

→ ↑5.8%

27 yrs82.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	63.1%	358
13 yrs	65.0%	343
14 yrs	66.2%	337
15 yrs	67.5%	308
16 yrs	63.5%	301
17 yrs	62.5%	291
18 yrs	65.8%	304
19 yrs	65.1%	275
20 yrs	68.6%	261
21 yrs	63.6%	176
22 yrs	68.3%	183
23 yrs	68.4%	152
24 yrs	73.0%	189
25 yrs	77.2%	158
26 yrs	77.0%	174
27 yrs	82.8%	279

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW 840 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	82.8%	279
2023 (26 yrs)	77%	174
2022 (25 yrs)	77.2%	158
2021 (24 yrs)	73%	189
2020 (23 yrs)	68.4%	152
2019 (22 yrs)	68.3%	183
2018 (21 yrs)	63.6%	176
2017 (20 yrs)	68.6%	261
2016 (19 yrs)	65.1%	275
2015 (18 yrs)	65.8%	304
2014 (17 yrs)	62.5%	291
2013 (16 yrs)	63.5%	301
2012 (15 yrs)	67.5%	308
2011 (14 yrs)	66.2%	337
2010 (13 yrs)	65%	343
2009 (12 yrs)	63.1%	358

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

63.1%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 358Avg Mileage 96,079Top Failure Brakes — 18.2%

2010

65.0%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 343Avg Mileage 98,482Top Failure Suspension — 19.0%

2011

66.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 337Avg Mileage 100,647Top Failure Suspension — 17.2%

2012

67.5%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 308Avg Mileage 102,192Top Failure Suspension — 17.9%

2013High Fail Rate

63.5%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 301Avg Mileage 105,036Top Failure Brakes — 42.9%

2014High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 291Avg Mileage 105,329Top Failure Suspension — 50.5%

2015

65.8%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 304Avg Mileage 107,461Top Failure Suspension — 61.2%

2016

65.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 275Avg Mileage 108,566Top Failure Suspension — 57.8%

2017

68.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 261Avg Mileage 109,658Top Failure Suspension — 39.8%

2018High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 176Avg Mileage 113,020Top Failure Brakes — 50.6%

2019

68.3%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 183Avg Mileage 109,709Top Failure Suspension — 49.2%

2020

68.4%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 152Avg Mileage 107,501Top Failure Suspension — 61.2%

2021

73.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 189Avg Mileage 107,310Top Failure Suspension — 46.6%

2022

77.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 158Avg Mileage 111,528Top Failure Suspension — 48.7%

2023

77.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 174Avg Mileage 110,623Top Failure Suspension — 46.6%

2024

82.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 279Avg Mileage 112,131Top Failure Suspension — 30.1%

MOT results for 1997 BMW 840 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	63.1%	358	96,079	Brakes — 18.2%
2010	13	65.0%	343	98,482	Suspension — 19.0%
2011	14	66.2%	337	100,647	Suspension — 17.2%
2012	15	67.5%	308	102,192	Suspension — 17.9%
2013	16	63.5%	301	105,036	Brakes — 42.9%
2014	17	62.5%	291	105,329	Suspension — 50.5%
2015	18	65.8%	304	107,461	Suspension — 61.2%
2016	19	65.1%	275	108,566	Suspension — 57.8%
2017	20	68.6%	261	109,658	Suspension — 39.8%
2018	21	63.6%	176	113,020	Brakes — 50.6%
2019	22	68.3%	183	109,709	Suspension — 49.2%
2020	23	68.4%	152	107,501	Suspension — 61.2%
2021	24	73.0%	189	107,310	Suspension — 46.6%
2022	25	77.2%	158	111,528	Suspension — 48.7%
2023	26	77.0%	174	110,623	Suspension — 46.6%
2024	27	82.8%	279	112,131	Suspension — 30.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW 840, with age trends.

Suspension

40.5%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

32.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

21.8%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

19.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

17.7%

↓ 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	17.3% (12 yrs)	30.1% (27 yrs)	+12.8%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	14.0% (12 yrs)	7.2% (27 yrs)	-6.8%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	18.2% (12 yrs)	15.1% (27 yrs)	-3.1%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2019

← Back to BMW 840 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW 840 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW 840 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 4,089 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.