Car statistics by year
2008 BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 2008: 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 2008, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 67.8% All 2008 cars 57.0%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 123,000 miles; all 2008 cars 104,200
- Left at the end of 2025 21,773 54.4% of the 40,060 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 10.7% All 2008 cars 10.4%
- Tests with an advisory 67.9% All 2008 cars 69.6%
- MOT tests in 2025 19,194 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2008 BMW 3 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 17 years old, 67.8% of 2008 BMW 3 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 57.0% for all cars first registered in 2008. 2008 BMW 3 Series did better than average for their age, by 10.8 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 67.4% of the time (all 2008 cars 56.8%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ’02 | 66.7% | 59.7% |
| ’03 | 67.2% | 58.9% |
| ’04 | 66.9% | 57.9% |
| ’05 | 66.1% | 57.7% |
| ’06 | 67.4% | 56.9% |
| ’07 | 68.1% | 57.3% |
| ’08 | 67.8% | 57.0% |
| ’09 | 66.8% | 58.2% |
| ’10 | 67.9% | 59.3% |
| ’11 | 69.2% | 61.5% |
| ’12 | 68.1% | 63.6% |
| ’13 | 73.0% | 66.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2008 BMW 3 Series
Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak was the most common single reason a 2008 BMW 3 Series failed, on 12.3% of about 6,200 failed tests. By area of the car, suspension failed most often (35.0% of failed tests; all 2008 cars 41.7%). 10.7% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 10.4% for all cars first registered in 2008. 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 |
|---|---|
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 12.3% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.4% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 9.1% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 9.0% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.8% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush excessively worn Suspension | 8.5% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 8.5% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 6.5% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 5.6% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.2% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 3 Series vs all 2008 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Suspension | 35.0% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 33.9% |
| Brakes | 28.6% |
| Tyres | 25.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 17.9% |
| Visibility | 14.8% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 6.5% |
| Road wheels | 5.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2008 BMW 3 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 67.9% of 2008 BMW 3 Series tests had at least one (all 2008 cars 69.6%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 23.2% |
| Flexible brake hoses: slightly deteriorated Brakes | 18.2% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 15.4% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 12.5% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 12.3% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 9.8% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 9.3% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.0% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 5.1% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 4.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2008 BMW 3 Series?
Half of the 2008 BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 123,000 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 95,800 and a quarter more than 152,700. For all cars first registered in 2008, the middle figure was 104,200 miles, so 2008 BMW 3 Series have been driven 18.0% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 BMW 3 Series | 72,200 | 95,800 | 123,000 | 152,700 | 181,300 | 18,380 |
| All 2008 cars | 55,300 | 77,400 | 104,200 | 133,600 | 162,900 | 828,912 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2008 BMW 3 Series are left?
At the end of 2014, 40,060 2008 BMW 3 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 21,773 were: 16,588 licensed and 5,185 declared off the road (SORN). That is 54.4% still on the record, against 50.5% for all cars first registered in 2008.
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 | 2008 BMW 3 Series | All 2008 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | 98.3% |
| 2016 | 96.7% | 96.8% |
| 2017 | 94.3% | 94.3% |
| 2018 | 91.1% | 91.0% |
| 2019 | 87.5% | 86.8% |
| 2020 | 83.4% | 82.2% |
| 2021 | 78.6% | 76.3% |
| 2022 | 73.4% | 70.5% |
| 2023 | 67.2% | 64.2% |
| 2024 | 60.4% | 57.2% |
| 2025 | 54.4% | 50.5% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2008
8 of the BMW 3 Series’s 67 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2008. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2008 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2008 may have been built in 2007, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 2026 | Replace the Driver’s Airbag – Takata PSDI-5 | 2 Jan 2006 to 2 Oct 2013 | 177,298 |
| 18 Dec 2025 | Takata Driver and/or Passenger Airbag Recall (Global VINs) | 30 Oct 1997 to 8 Nov 2017 | 43,344 |
| 21 Oct 2024 | Check Driver’s Airbag for Conversion Takata SDI & PSDI-5 | 15 Oct 2004 to 8 Nov 2017 | 218,198 |
| 27 Jun 2018 | Variation to electrical resistance in the blower regulator wiring harness connector | 15 Oct 2004 to 8 Jul 2011 | 279,104 |
| 7 Jun 2018 | Plug in contact cable may malfunction | 20 Sept 2006 to 30 Jun 2011 | 311,848 (all models) |
| 30 Jul 2012 | EPS may not perform as specified | 1 Feb 2007 to 31 Dec 2011 | 701 (all models) |
| 30 Jun 2009 | Front side airbag or seat belt tensioner may not operate correctly | 23 May 2008 to 21 Jul 2008 | 1,756 (all models) |
| 14 Feb 2008 | Door pressure sensors may delay side airbag deployment following an impact. | 20 Nov 2006 to 11 Jan 2008 | 7,703 |
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 | 19,194 MOT tests of 2008 BMW 3 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 21,773 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 2008; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2008.
- 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.