1989 BMW M3 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

96.9%

Latest Pass Rate

1,087

Total Tests (All Years)

93,519 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 1989 BMW M3 as it ages.

20 yrs69.3%

→ ↑2.7%

21 yrs72.0%

→ ↑10.1%

22 yrs82.1%

→ ↓3.6%

23 yrs78.5%

→ ↓0.7%

24 yrs77.8%

→ ↑3.1%

25 yrs80.9%

→ ↑5.0%

26 yrs85.9%

→ ↑1.6%

27 yrs87.5%

→ ↑6.4%

28 yrs93.9%

→ ↓6.9%

29 yrs87.0%

→ ↑1.9%

30 yrs88.9%

→ ↑6.4%

31 yrs95.3%

→ ↑1.4%

32 yrs96.7%

→ ↑1.3%

33 yrs98.0%

→ ↓5.0%

34 yrs93.0%

→ ↑3.9%

35 yrs96.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	69.3%	114
21 yrs	72.0%	93
22 yrs	82.1%	84
23 yrs	78.5%	79
24 yrs	77.8%	63
25 yrs	80.9%	68
26 yrs	85.9%	64
27 yrs	87.5%	72
28 yrs	93.9%	66
29 yrs	87.0%	54
30 yrs	88.9%	54
31 yrs	95.3%	43
32 yrs	96.7%	30
33 yrs	98.0%	50
34 yrs	93.0%	57
35 yrs	96.9%	96

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 BMW M3 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	96.9%	96
2023 (34 yrs)	93%	57
2022 (33 yrs)	98%	50
2021 (32 yrs)	96.7%	30
2020 (31 yrs)	95.3%	43
2019 (30 yrs)	88.9%	54
2018 (29 yrs)	87%	54
2017 (28 yrs)	93.9%	66
2016 (27 yrs)	87.5%	72
2015 (26 yrs)	85.9%	64
2014 (25 yrs)	80.9%	68
2013 (24 yrs)	77.8%	63
2012 (23 yrs)	78.5%	79
2011 (22 yrs)	82.1%	84
2010 (21 yrs)	72%	93
2009 (20 yrs)	69.3%	114

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

69.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 114Avg Mileage 138,256Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.4%

2010

72.0%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 93Avg Mileage 139,292Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.1%

2011

82.1%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 84Avg Mileage 142,172Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.1%

2012

78.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 79Avg Mileage 137,040Top Failure Suspension — 11.4%

2013

77.8%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 63Avg Mileage 141,062Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.2%

2014

80.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 68Avg Mileage 146,835Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.4%

2015

85.9%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 64Avg Mileage 140,005Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.4%

2016

87.5%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 72Avg Mileage 134,239Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.5%

2017

93.9%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 66Avg Mileage 137,393Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 7.6%

2018

87.0%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 54Avg Mileage 147,834Top Failure Brakes — 9.3%

2019

88.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 54Avg Mileage 122,004Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 11.1%

2020

95.3%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 43Avg Mileage 150,945Top Failure Visibility — 4.7%

2021

96.7%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 30Avg Mileage 105,889Top Failure Steering — 3.3%

2022

98.0%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 50Avg Mileage 97,124Top Failure Noise, emissions and leaks — 2.0%

2023

93.0%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 57Avg Mileage 96,283Top Failure Brakes — 5.3%

2024

96.9%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 96Avg Mileage 93,519Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 4.2%

MOT results for 1989 BMW M3 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	69.3%	114	138,256	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.4%
2010	21	72.0%	93	139,292	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.1%
2011	22	82.1%	84	142,172	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.1%
2012	23	78.5%	79	137,040	Suspension — 11.4%
2013	24	77.8%	63	141,062	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.2%
2014	25	80.9%	68	146,835	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.4%
2015	26	85.9%	64	140,005	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.4%
2016	27	87.5%	72	134,239	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.5%
2017	28	93.9%	66	137,393	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 7.6%
2018	29	87.0%	54	147,834	Brakes — 9.3%
2019	30	88.9%	54	122,004	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 11.1%
2020	31	95.3%	43	150,945	Visibility — 4.7%
2021	32	96.7%	30	105,889	Steering — 3.3%
2022	33	98.0%	50	97,124	Noise, emissions and leaks — 2.0%
2023	34	93.0%	57	96,283	Brakes — 5.3%
2024	35	96.9%	96	93,519	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 4.2%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 BMW M3, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

15.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

11.5%

↓ Decreases with age

Non-component advisories

9.3%

— Consistent

Brakes

8.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Tyres

6.3%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	14.9% (20 yrs)	1.0% (35 yrs)	-13.9%	🟢 ↓

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 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,087 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.