1997 BMW M3 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

83.8%

Latest Pass Rate

6,349

Total Tests (All Years)

100,423 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 M3 as it ages.

12 yrs60.1%

→ ↓2.5%

13 yrs57.6%

→ ↑0.8%

14 yrs58.4%

→ ↑5.4%

15 yrs63.8%

→ ↓2.6%

16 yrs61.2%

→ ↓1.6%

17 yrs59.6%

→ ↑4.7%

18 yrs64.3%

→ ↑6.7%

19 yrs71.0%

→ ↓5.1%

20 yrs65.9%

→ ↑1.6%

21 yrs67.5%

→ ↑3.8%

22 yrs71.3%

→ ↑8.8%

23 yrs80.1%

→ ↓6.5%

24 yrs73.6%

→ ↑3.9%

25 yrs77.5%

→ ↑3.5%

26 yrs81.0%

→ ↑2.8%

27 yrs83.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	60.1%	838
13 yrs	57.6%	766
14 yrs	58.4%	663
15 yrs	63.8%	569
16 yrs	61.2%	485
17 yrs	59.6%	411
18 yrs	64.3%	375
19 yrs	71.0%	362
20 yrs	65.9%	314
21 yrs	67.5%	209
22 yrs	71.3%	202
23 yrs	80.1%	166
24 yrs	73.6%	258
25 yrs	77.5%	169
26 yrs	81.0%	216
27 yrs	83.8%	346

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 BMW M3 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (27 yrs)	83.8%	346
2023 (26 yrs)	81%	216
2022 (25 yrs)	77.5%	169
2021 (24 yrs)	73.6%	258
2020 (23 yrs)	80.1%	166
2019 (22 yrs)	71.3%	202
2018 (21 yrs)	67.5%	209
2017 (20 yrs)	65.9%	314
2016 (19 yrs)	71%	362
2015 (18 yrs)	64.3%	375
2014 (17 yrs)	59.6%	411
2013 (16 yrs)	61.2%	485
2012 (15 yrs)	63.8%	569
2011 (14 yrs)	58.4%	663
2010 (13 yrs)	57.6%	766
2009 (12 yrs)	60.1%	838

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

60.1%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 838Avg Mileage 97,183Top Failure Brakes — 23.9%

2010High Fail Rate

57.6%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 766Avg Mileage 99,446Top Failure Brakes — 25.3%

2011High Fail Rate

58.4%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 663Avg Mileage 100,925Top Failure Brakes — 23.7%

2012High Fail Rate

63.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 569Avg Mileage 102,094Top Failure Brakes — 21.4%

2013High Fail Rate

61.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 485Avg Mileage 102,790Top Failure Brakes — 54.2%

2014High Fail Rate

59.6%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 411Avg Mileage 102,995Top Failure Brakes — 61.6%

2015High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 375Avg Mileage 107,915Top Failure Brakes — 60.5%

2016

71.0%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 362Avg Mileage 104,748Top Failure Brakes — 35.1%

2017

65.9%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 314Avg Mileage 106,269Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.1%

2018

67.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 209Avg Mileage 106,597Top Failure Brakes — 39.7%

2019

71.3%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 202Avg Mileage 109,675Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.2%

2020

80.1%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 166Avg Mileage 105,814Top Failure Brakes — 24.1%

2021

73.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 258Avg Mileage 111,160Top Failure Brakes — 47.3%

2022

77.5%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 169Avg Mileage 105,403Top Failure Brakes — 27.8%

2023

81.0%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 216Avg Mileage 105,456Top Failure Brakes — 28.7%

2024

83.8%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 346Avg Mileage 100,423Top Failure Brakes — 19.1%

MOT results for 1997 BMW M3 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	60.1%	838	97,183	Brakes — 23.9%
2010	13	57.6%	766	99,446	Brakes — 25.3%
2011	14	58.4%	663	100,925	Brakes — 23.7%
2012	15	63.8%	569	102,094	Brakes — 21.4%
2013	16	61.2%	485	102,790	Brakes — 54.2%
2014	17	59.6%	411	102,995	Brakes — 61.6%
2015	18	64.3%	375	107,915	Brakes — 60.5%
2016	19	71.0%	362	104,748	Brakes — 35.1%
2017	20	65.9%	314	106,269	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.1%
2018	21	67.5%	209	106,597	Brakes — 39.7%
2019	22	71.3%	202	109,675	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.2%
2020	23	80.1%	166	105,814	Brakes — 24.1%
2021	24	73.6%	258	111,160	Brakes — 47.3%
2022	25	77.5%	169	105,403	Brakes — 27.8%
2023	26	81.0%	216	105,456	Brakes — 28.7%
2024	27	83.8%	346	100,423	Brakes — 19.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 BMW M3, with age trends.

Brakes

35.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

30.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

23.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.1%

↑ Increases with age

Noise, emissions and leaks

16.5%

↓ 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	16.9% (12 yrs)	8.7% (27 yrs)	-8.2%	🟢 ↓
Brakes	23.9% (12 yrs)	19.1% (27 yrs)	-4.8%	🟢 ↓

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 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 6,349 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.