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MOT statistics · 2023 tests

BMW 218 MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 87.0% of 47,051 MOT tests on the BMW 218 ended in a pass, 10.5 points above the 76.5% average for all cars.

Pass rate
87.0%
All cars 76.5%
Tests
47,051
Initial MOTs in 2023
Mileage at 9
75k
Median; middle half 57k to 95k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the BMW 218 MOT tests at that age. Mileage shows the median and the middle half of odometer readings, from the 25th to the 75th percentile.

AgePass rateMileage
21,499 tests
89.3%
17,000 · 13k to 25k
33,174 tests
90.8%
23,000 · 15k to 31k
45,806 tests
89.1%
31,000 · 23k to 41k
59,178 tests
88.1%
39,000 · 29k to 51k
610,720 tests
86.8%
49,000 · 35k to 63k
710,805 tests
85.5%
55,000 · 41k to 73k
85,181 tests
84.0%
63,000 · 47k to 83k
9688 tests
79.7%
75,000 · 57k to 95k
218 pass rateAll cars at that ageMiddle half of mileages

Most common MOT failures and advisories

How often each item came up, per 100 MOT tests on the BMW 218. Advisories are things the tester noted that did not fail the car, often wear that will need attention soon. Follow an item to see what it means and how serious it is.

Failures

Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
1.7in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre seriously damaged
1.5in 100 tests
Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
1.3in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre cords visible or damaged
1.0in 100 tests
Side and tail lights
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
0.9in 100 tests
Headlights
A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED
0.9in 100 tests
Headlight aim
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
0.7in 100 tests
Warning lights
Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction
0.6in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Brake pads
A brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
8.2in 100 tests
Brake discs
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
4.6in 100 tests
Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
2.3in 100 tests
Suspension bushes
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2.3in 100 tests
Brake discs
Brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn
2.2in 100 tests
Windscreen
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view (minor defect)
1.5in 100 tests
Shock absorbers
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
0.9in 100 tests
Wheels
A wheel badly distorted or wear between wheel and hub at spigot mounting
0.9in 100 tests

What to check on a used 218

The parts that come up most often in BMW 218 MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

  1. Brake discs and pads
    Ask when the discs and pads were last replaced, and look through the wheel for a raised lip on the edge of the disc.
  2. Tyres
    Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts and bulges in the sidewalls.
  3. Suspension and steering joints
    Listen for knocks over bumps and at full lock, and ask whether any suspension or steering joints have been replaced.
  4. Wipers, washers and windscreen
    Run the wipers and washers, and look for chips or cracks in the windscreen, above all in front of the driver.
  5. Shock absorbers
    Push down hard on each corner: it should rise once and settle. Oil on the shock absorber body is a sign of a leak.

Check a specific 218

Fleet averages only go so far. Enter the registration to see that car's own MOT history, mileage record and current condition, free.

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Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the BMW 218?
In 2023, 87.0% of 47,051 initial MOT tests on the BMW 218 ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans.
What fails most often on a BMW 218 MOT?
The most common failures were tyre tread (1.7 in 100 tests), tyres (1.5 in 100 tests), brake pads (1.3 in 100 tests).
What is a normal mileage for a 9-year-old BMW 218?
At 9 years old, the median BMW 218 at its MOT had covered 75,000 miles, and the middle half had between 57,000 and 95,000 miles.
What do MOT testers most often advise on a BMW 218?
The most common advisories were brake pads (8.2 in 100 tests), brake discs (4.6 in 100 tests), tyre tread (2.3 in 100 tests).

Other BMW models

Overall MOT pass rate in 2023. Compare all BMW models or see every make.

11881.5%11679.5%X185.6%X382.6%X580.5%52079.8%42086.0%21887.0%12077.0%32088.5%Z479.6%53078.3%33087.3%i390.8%M387.2%52574.0%22085.7%X486.9%X684.9%43087.1%43586.6%Z372.0%M487.8%31676.1%64083.6%73083.8%31887.3%53582.9%X287.5%

How these figures are made. We counted every initial MOT test (not retests) of cars and light vans in Great Britain in 2023 from the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 33,842,940 tests in all. Pass rate is the share of initial tests that ended in a pass, counting faults fixed during the test. Age is whole years from first registration to the test, so a car having its first MOT a few weeks early counts as 2.

Like-for-like pass rates average each model's pass rate at ages 3 to 10 with the same age mix for every model, so a model is not flattered by a young fleet or penalised by an old one. Models are grouped by the first word of the DVSA model name, and names that cover several models are left out.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. RegTail's analysis of the DVSA anonymised MOT dataset, 2023 tests.