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MOT statistics · 2023 tests

BMW Z3 MOT pass rate, common failures and mileage

In 2023, 72.0% of 12,662 MOT tests on the BMW Z3 ended in a pass, 4.5 points below the 76.5% average for all cars.

Pass rate
72.0%
All cars 76.5%
Tests
12,662
Initial MOTs in 2023
Mileage at 20
77k
Median; middle half 53k to 101k

Pass rate and mileage by age

Each row covers the BMW Z3 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
20582 tests
77.1%
77,000 · 53k to 101k
211,556 tests
74.6%
79,000 · 57k to 99k
221,975 tests
74.0%
81,000 · 57k to 103k
232,404 tests
73.8%
85,000 · 61k to 107k
243,020 tests
71.6%
87,000 · 63k to 111k
252,421 tests
68.4%
89,000 · 65k to 113k
Z3 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 Z3. 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

Side and tail lights
A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
3.3in 100 tests
Airbag warning light
An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction
3.3in 100 tests
Coil springs
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
2.8in 100 tests
Exhaust emissions
Lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer
2.5in 100 tests
Brake pipes
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
2.4in 100 tests
Suspension joints
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
2.4in 100 tests
ABS
Warning device shows system malfunction
2.1in 100 tests
Brake performance
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
2.1in 100 tests

Advisories and minor defects

Brake pipes
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
19.4in 100 tests
Engine oil leaks
Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users
10.4in 100 tests
Brake discs
Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured
9.5in 100 tests
Tyre tread
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
8.6in 100 tests
Tyres
A tyre seriously damaged
8.0in 100 tests
Coil springs
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
5.1in 100 tests
Brake hoses
A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched
4.7in 100 tests
Suspension arms
A suspension component excessively damaged or corroded
4.7in 100 tests

What to check on a used Z3

The parts that come up most often in BMW Z3 MOTs, and how to look at them on a viewing.

  1. Brake pipes and hoses
    Look underneath at the metal brake pipes for heavy rust, and at the rubber hoses for cracks or bulges.
  2. Oil leaks
    Look under the engine and gearbox, and at the ground where the car was parked, for fresh oil.
  3. 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.
  4. Tyres
    Check the tread across the full width of every tyre, including the inner edge, and look for cuts and bulges in the sidewalls.
  5. Coil springs
    Compare the gap between each tyre and its wheel arch. A corner sitting lower than the others can mean a broken spring.

Check a specific Z3

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

UK

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate of the BMW Z3?
In 2023, 72.0% of 12,662 initial MOT tests on the BMW Z3 ended in a pass, against 76.5% for all cars and light vans.
What fails most often on a BMW Z3 MOT?
The most common failures were side and tail lights (3.3 in 100 tests), airbag warning light (3.3 in 100 tests), coil springs (2.8 in 100 tests).
What is a normal mileage for a 20-year-old BMW Z3?
At 20 years old, the median BMW Z3 at its MOT had covered 77,000 miles, and the middle half had between 53,000 and 101,000 miles.
What do MOT testers most often advise on a BMW Z3?
The most common advisories were brake pipes (19.4 in 100 tests), engine oil leaks (10.4 in 100 tests), brake discs (9.5 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.