1998 BMW M3 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

81.8%

Latest Pass Rate

6,624

Total Tests (All Years)

95,711 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 1998 BMW M3 as it ages.

11 yrs61.4%

→ ↓0.9%

12 yrs60.5%

→ ↑1.0%

13 yrs61.5%

→ ↓0.9%

14 yrs60.6%

→ ↑1.9%

15 yrs62.5%

→ ↑1.8%

16 yrs64.3%

→ ↑5.6%

17 yrs69.9%

→ ↓2.3%

18 yrs67.6%

→ ↑2.3%

19 yrs69.9%

→ ↑4.8%

20 yrs74.7%

→ ↓0.0%

21 yrs74.7%

→ ↑1.0%

22 yrs75.7%

→ ↑1.5%

23 yrs77.2%

→ ↑1.0%

24 yrs78.2%

→ ↓0.2%

25 yrs78.0%

→ ↑3.8%

26 yrs81.8%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	61.4%	836
12 yrs	60.5%	770
13 yrs	61.5%	668
14 yrs	60.6%	571
15 yrs	62.5%	506
16 yrs	64.3%	434
17 yrs	69.9%	412
18 yrs	67.6%	380
19 yrs	69.9%	365
20 yrs	74.7%	233
21 yrs	74.7%	237
22 yrs	75.7%	189
23 yrs	77.2%	272
24 yrs	78.2%	211
25 yrs	78.0%	200
26 yrs	81.8%	340

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 BMW M3 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (26 yrs)	81.8%	340
2023 (25 yrs)	78%	200
2022 (24 yrs)	78.2%	211
2021 (23 yrs)	77.2%	272
2020 (22 yrs)	75.7%	189
2019 (21 yrs)	74.7%	237
2018 (20 yrs)	74.7%	233
2017 (19 yrs)	69.9%	365
2016 (18 yrs)	67.6%	380
2015 (17 yrs)	69.9%	412
2014 (16 yrs)	64.3%	434
2013 (15 yrs)	62.5%	506
2012 (14 yrs)	60.6%	571
2011 (13 yrs)	61.5%	668
2010 (12 yrs)	60.5%	770
2009 (11 yrs)	61.4%	836

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 836Avg Mileage 86,443Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.2%

2010High Fail Rate

60.5%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 770Avg Mileage 88,684Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.7%

2011High Fail Rate

61.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 668Avg Mileage 92,732Top Failure Brakes — 19.9%

2012High Fail Rate

60.6%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 571Avg Mileage 93,567Top Failure Brakes — 22.8%

2013High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 506Avg Mileage 92,981Top Failure Brakes — 57.5%

2014High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 434Avg Mileage 94,015Top Failure Brakes — 50.9%

2015

69.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 412Avg Mileage 95,141Top Failure Brakes — 40.5%

2016

67.6%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 380Avg Mileage 95,316Top Failure Brakes — 37.4%

2017

69.9%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 365Avg Mileage 96,849Top Failure Brakes — 40.0%

2018

74.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 233Avg Mileage 96,016Top Failure Brakes — 33.9%

2019

74.7%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 237Avg Mileage 96,727Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.4%

2020

75.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 189Avg Mileage 99,717Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 29.1%

2021

77.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 272Avg Mileage 104,504Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.2%

2022

78.2%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 211Avg Mileage 98,746Top Failure Brakes — 36.0%

2023

78.0%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 200Avg Mileage 99,025Top Failure Brakes — 26.5%

2024

81.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 340Avg Mileage 95,711Top Failure Brakes — 17.6%

MOT results for 1998 BMW M3 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	61.4%	836	86,443	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.2%
2010	12	60.5%	770	88,684	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.7%
2011	13	61.5%	668	92,732	Brakes — 19.9%
2012	14	60.6%	571	93,567	Brakes — 22.8%
2013	15	62.5%	506	92,981	Brakes — 57.5%
2014	16	64.3%	434	94,015	Brakes — 50.9%
2015	17	69.9%	412	95,141	Brakes — 40.5%
2016	18	67.6%	380	95,316	Brakes — 37.4%
2017	19	69.9%	365	96,849	Brakes — 40.0%
2018	20	74.7%	233	96,016	Brakes — 33.9%
2019	21	74.7%	237	96,727	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.4%
2020	22	75.7%	189	99,717	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 29.1%
2021	23	77.2%	272	104,504	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 23.2%
2022	24	78.2%	211	98,746	Brakes — 36.0%
2023	25	78.0%	200	99,025	Brakes — 26.5%
2024	26	81.8%	340	95,711	Brakes — 17.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 BMW M3, with age trends.

Brakes

30.5%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

26.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

24.2%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

20.1%

— Consistent

Noise, emissions and leaks

17.5%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	19.6% (11 yrs)	17.6% (26 yrs)	-2.0%	🟢 ↓
Suspension	16.3% (11 yrs)	16.8% (26 yrs)	+0.5%	⚪ —

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 6,624 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.