Car statistics by year
1998 BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 1998: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 1998, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 68.4% All 1998 cars 67.1%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 116,500 miles; all 1998 cars 94,000
- Left at the end of 2025 5,555 43.9% of the 12,652 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 7.1% All 1998 cars 6.6%
- Tests with an advisory 61.5% All 1998 cars 59.6%
- MOT tests in 2025 1,895 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 1998 BMW 3 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 27 years old, 68.4% of 1998 BMW 3 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 67.1% for all cars first registered in 1998. 1998 BMW 3 Series did better than average for their age, by 1.3 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 67.8% of the time (all 1998 cars 65.9%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: BMW 3 Series vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each BMW 3 Series bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | BMW 3 Series | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’89 | 81.2% | 76.5% |
| ’90 | 79.3% | 75.5% |
| ’91 | 80.0% | 75.5% |
| ’95 | 66.8% | 71.5% |
| ’96 | 68.6% | 70.0% |
| ’97 | 70.0% | 68.5% |
| ’98 | 68.4% | 67.1% |
| ’99 | 69.1% | 65.4% |
| ’00 | 66.5% | 63.1% |
| ’01 | 65.5% | 61.5% |
| ’02 | 66.7% | 59.7% |
| ’03 | 67.2% | 58.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 1998 BMW 3 Series
Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn was the most common single reason a 1998 BMW 3 Series failed, on 11.0% of about 600 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (43.6% of failed tests; all 1998 cars 41.0%). 7.1% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.6% for all cars first registered in 1998. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension arms: ball joint excessively worn Suspension | 11.0% |
| Catalyst emissions: carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 9.7% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.0% |
| Catalyst emissions: lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.2% |
| Component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Suspension | 8.2% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 7.8% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.5% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 7.5% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.0% |
| SRS malfunction indicator lamp: warning lamp indicates a fault Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 6.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 3 Series vs all 1998 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 43.6% |
| Suspension | 36.9% |
| Brakes | 34.6% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 27.2% |
| Visibility | 15.7% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 13.2% |
| Tyres | 12.5% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 10.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 1998 BMW 3 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 61.5% of 1998 BMW 3 Series tests had at least one (all 1998 cars 59.6%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 17.7% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 16.9% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 12.2% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 7.9% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 7.4% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 6.6% |
| Suspension arms: ball joint has slight play Suspension | 6.0% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 5.1% |
| Flexible brake hoses: slightly deteriorated Brakes | 5.0% |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) Non-component advisories | 4.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 1998 BMW 3 Series?
Half of the 1998 BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 116,500 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 88,100 and a quarter more than 147,700. For all cars first registered in 1998, the middle figure was 94,000 miles, so 1998 BMW 3 Series have been driven 23.9% further than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 BMW 3 Series | 61,900 | 88,100 | 116,500 | 147,700 | 175,700 | 1,754 |
| All 1998 cars | 43,400 | 65,400 | 94,000 | 128,000 | 164,300 | 37,727 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 1998 BMW 3 Series are left?
At the end of 2014, 12,652 1998 BMW 3 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 5,555 were: 1,403 licensed and 4,152 declared off the road (SORN). That is 43.9% still on the record, against 28.8% for all cars first registered in 1998.
Share still on the record since 2014
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 1998 BMW 3 Series | All 1998 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 86.7% | 82.4% |
| 2016 | 75.8% | 68.7% |
| 2017 | 67.1% | 57.2% |
| 2018 | 60.3% | 48.9% |
| 2019 | 56.1% | 43.3% |
| 2020 | 52.9% | 39.7% |
| 2021 | 50.5% | 36.3% |
| 2022 | 49.2% | 34.2% |
| 2023 | 47.5% | 32.3% |
| 2024 | 44.7% | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 43.9% | 28.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 1998
5 of the BMW 3 Series’s 67 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 1998. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 1998 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 1998 may have been built in 1997, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Dec 2025 | Takata Driver and/or Passenger Airbag Recall (Global VINs) | 30 Oct 1997 to 8 Nov 2017 | 43,344 |
| 13 Jul 2021 | Some vehicles may be susceptible to damage to the anti-corrosion coating of the lower steering shaft | 1 Aug 1990 to 24 Aug 2000 | 277,987 |
| 9 Mar 2020 | Driver's front takata (nadi) airbag inflator may rupture on deployment | 28 Oct 1997 to 10 Jul 2000 | 67,548 |
| 26 Feb 2001 | Lower steering shaft may fail | 1 Jan 1991 to 31 Dec 1998 | 285,722 |
| 25 May 1999 | Possible unscheduled deployment of side airbags and activation of battery isolator switch | 1 Sept 1998 to 14 Apr 1999 | 16,646 |
Every BMW 3 Series recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the BMW 3 Series
32 years of the BMW 3 Series, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2007 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (68.1% passed first time) and the 1995 cars worst (66.8%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | – | 1,793 | 80.1% |
| 1989 | – | 2,786 | 81.2% |
| 1990 | – | 3,420 | 79.3% |
| 1991 | – | 2,120 | 80.0% |
| 1995 | – | 2,926 | 66.8% |
| 1996 | – | 3,932 | 68.6% |
| 1997 | – | 4,847 | 70.0% |
| 1998 | – | 5,555 | 68.4% |
| 1999 | – | 7,031 | 69.1% |
| 2000 | – | 7,583 | 66.5% |
| 2001 | – | 10,968 | 65.5% |
| 2002 | – | 14,361 | 66.7% |
| 2003 | – | 16,133 | 67.2% |
| 2004 | – | 13,939 | 66.9% |
| 2005 | – | 14,137 | 66.1% |
| 2006 | – | 19,509 | 67.4% |
| 2007 | – | 25,610 | 68.1% |
| 2008 | – | 21,773 | 67.8% |
| 2009 | – | 21,621 | 66.8% |
| 2010 | – | 24,475 | 67.9% |
| 2011 | – | 26,663 | 69.2% |
| 2012 | – | 32,763 | 68.1% |
| 2013 | – | 34,496 | 73.0% |
| 2014 | 36,711 | 32,348 | 75.7% |
| 2015 | 34,505 | 31,612 | 79.7% |
| 2016 | 34,360 | 31,318 | 83.2% |
| 2017 | 33,404 | 30,114 | 84.4% |
| 2018 | 25,623 | 23,947 | 85.7% |
| 2019 | 25,122 | 24,201 | 87.0% |
| 2020 | 20,371 | 18,956 | 87.1% |
| 2021 | 22,310 | 20,374 | 87.0% |
| 2022 | 11,299 | 10,292 | 85.2% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 1,895 MOT tests of 1998 BMW 3 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 5,555 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 1998; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 1998.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.