1988 BMW M3 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1988 perform at MOT as they age

38 years

Current Age

87.1%

Latest Pass Rate

837

Total Tests (All Years)

115,146 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 1988 BMW M3 as it ages.

21 yrs69.9%

→ ↑8.0%

22 yrs77.9%

→ ↓0.1%

23 yrs77.8%

→ ↓3.6%

24 yrs74.2%

→ ↑5.5%

25 yrs79.7%

→ ↓1.9%

26 yrs77.8%

→ ↑3.3%

27 yrs81.1%

→ ↑7.0%

28 yrs88.1%

→ ↑4.5%

29 yrs92.6%

→ ↓9.7%

30 yrs82.9%

→ ↑12.1%

31 yrs95.0%

→ ↓1.7%

32 yrs93.3%

→ ↓9.5%

34 yrs83.8%

→ ↑10.0%

35 yrs93.8%

→ ↓6.7%

36 yrs87.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
21 yrs	69.9%	73
22 yrs	77.9%	77
23 yrs	77.8%	63
24 yrs	74.2%	66
25 yrs	79.7%	69
26 yrs	77.8%	63
27 yrs	81.1%	53
28 yrs	88.1%	59
29 yrs	92.6%	54
30 yrs	82.9%	35
31 yrs	95.0%	40
32 yrs	93.3%	30
34 yrs	83.8%	37
35 yrs	93.8%	48
36 yrs	87.1%	70

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1988 BMW M3 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (36 yrs)	87.1%	70
2023 (35 yrs)	93.8%	48
2022 (34 yrs)	83.8%	37
2020 (32 yrs)	93.3%	30
2019 (31 yrs)	95%	40
2018 (30 yrs)	82.9%	35
2017 (29 yrs)	92.6%	54
2016 (28 yrs)	88.1%	59
2015 (27 yrs)	81.1%	53
2014 (26 yrs)	77.8%	63
2013 (25 yrs)	79.7%	69
2012 (24 yrs)	74.2%	66
2011 (23 yrs)	77.8%	63
2010 (22 yrs)	77.9%	77
2009 (21 yrs)	69.9%	73

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

69.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 73Avg Mileage 115,500Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.1%

2010

77.9%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 77Avg Mileage 125,033Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.2%

2011

77.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 63Avg Mileage 129,976Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.3%

2012

74.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 66Avg Mileage 116,088Top Failure Brakes — 16.7%

2013

79.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 69Avg Mileage 126,012Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.4%

2014

77.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 63Avg Mileage 127,013Top Failure Suspension — 27.0%

2015

81.1%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 53Avg Mileage 114,516Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.9%

2016

88.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 59Avg Mileage 124,724Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.9%

2017

92.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 54Avg Mileage 129,416Top Failure Brakes — 18.5%

2018

82.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 35Avg Mileage 125,460Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.4%

2019

95.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 40Avg Mileage 124,466Top Failure Suspension — 5.0%

2020

93.3%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 30Avg Mileage 139,674Top Failure Suspension — 10.0%

2022

83.8%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 37Avg Mileage 95,897Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.5%

2023

93.8%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 48Avg Mileage 98,092Top Failure Visibility — 8.3%

2024

87.1%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 70Avg Mileage 115,146Top Failure Suspension — 17.1%

MOT results for 1988 BMW M3 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	21	69.9%	73	115,500	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.1%
2010	22	77.9%	77	125,033	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.2%
2011	23	77.8%	63	129,976	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.3%
2012	24	74.2%	66	116,088	Brakes — 16.7%
2013	25	79.7%	69	126,012	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.4%
2014	26	77.8%	63	127,013	Suspension — 27.0%
2015	27	81.1%	53	114,516	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.9%
2016	28	88.1%	59	124,724	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.9%
2017	29	92.6%	54	129,416	Brakes — 18.5%
2018	30	82.9%	35	125,460	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 11.4%
2019	31	95.0%	40	124,466	Suspension — 5.0%
2020	32	93.3%	30	139,674	Suspension — 10.0%
2022	34	83.8%	37	95,897	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 13.5%
2023	35	93.8%	48	98,092	Visibility — 8.3%
2024	36	87.1%	70	115,146	Suspension — 17.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1988 BMW M3, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

17.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

11.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

10.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

8.3%

↑ Increases with age

Visibility

8.2%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	13.7% (21 yrs)	1.4% (36 yrs)	-12.3%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	5.5% (21 yrs)	17.1% (36 yrs)	+11.6%	🔴 ↑

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 1988 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 837 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.