1987 BMW M3 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age

39 years

Current Age

91.7%

Latest Pass Rate

821

Total Tests (All Years)

103,565 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 1987 BMW M3 as it ages.

22 yrs56.5%

→ ↑11.9%

23 yrs68.4%

→ ↑1.1%

24 yrs69.5%

→ ↓2.3%

25 yrs67.2%

→ ↑5.5%

26 yrs72.7%

→ ↑1.4%

27 yrs74.1%

→ ↑5.9%

28 yrs80.0%

→ ↑0.8%

29 yrs80.8%

→ ↑4.2%

30 yrs85.0%

→ ↓0.6%

31 yrs84.4%

→ ↓3.9%

32 yrs80.5%

→ ↑6.2%

35 yrs86.7%

→ ↓4.0%

36 yrs82.7%

→ ↑9.0%

37 yrs91.7%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
22 yrs	56.5%	85
23 yrs	68.4%	76
24 yrs	69.5%	59
25 yrs	67.2%	61
26 yrs	72.7%	55
27 yrs	74.1%	58
28 yrs	80.0%	60
29 yrs	80.8%	52
30 yrs	85.0%	60
31 yrs	84.4%	45
32 yrs	80.5%	41
35 yrs	86.7%	45
36 yrs	82.7%	52
37 yrs	91.7%	72

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1987 BMW M3 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (37 yrs)	91.7%	72
2023 (36 yrs)	82.7%	52
2022 (35 yrs)	86.7%	45
2019 (32 yrs)	80.5%	41
2018 (31 yrs)	84.4%	45
2017 (30 yrs)	85%	60
2016 (29 yrs)	80.8%	52
2015 (28 yrs)	80%	60
2014 (27 yrs)	74.1%	58
2013 (26 yrs)	72.7%	55
2012 (25 yrs)	67.2%	61
2011 (24 yrs)	69.5%	59
2010 (23 yrs)	68.4%	76
2009 (22 yrs)	56.5%	85

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

56.5%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 85Avg Mileage 136,837Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.5%

2010

68.4%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 76Avg Mileage 145,495Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.7%

2011

69.5%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 59Avg Mileage 134,723Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.9%

2012

67.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 61Avg Mileage 152,697Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%

2013

72.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 55Avg Mileage 146,478Top Failure Brakes — 40.0%

2014

74.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 58Avg Mileage 149,726Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.4%

2015

80.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 60Avg Mileage 141,001Top Failure Suspension — 18.3%

2016

80.8%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 52Avg Mileage 139,477Top Failure Brakes — 28.8%

2017

85.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 60Avg Mileage 134,441Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.3%

2018

84.4%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 45Avg Mileage 139,543Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.9%

2019

80.5%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 41Avg Mileage 137,577Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.7%

2022

86.7%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 45Avg Mileage 101,785Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 13.3%

2023

82.7%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 52Avg Mileage 97,732Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.1%

2024

91.7%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 72Avg Mileage 103,565Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.9%

MOT results for 1987 BMW M3 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	22	56.5%	85	136,837	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.5%
2010	23	68.4%	76	145,495	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.7%
2011	24	69.5%	59	134,723	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.9%
2012	25	67.2%	61	152,697	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.3%
2013	26	72.7%	55	146,478	Brakes — 40.0%
2014	27	74.1%	58	149,726	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 41.4%
2015	28	80.0%	60	141,001	Suspension — 18.3%
2016	29	80.8%	52	139,477	Brakes — 28.8%
2017	30	85.0%	60	134,441	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 38.3%
2018	31	84.4%	45	139,543	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 28.9%
2019	32	80.5%	41	137,577	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.7%
2022	35	86.7%	45	101,785	Body, chassis, structure — 13.3%
2023	36	82.7%	52	97,732	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.1%
2024	37	91.7%	72	103,565	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1987 BMW M3, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

26.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

21.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

15.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

14.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Driver's View of the Road

13.5%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	20.0% (22 yrs)	4.2% (37 yrs)	-15.8%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the BMW M3 page →

About This Data

This page shows how BMW M3 cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 821 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.