Car statistics by year
2012 BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 2012: 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 2012, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 68.1% All 2012 cars 63.6%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 114,900 miles; all 2012 cars 90,800
- Left at the end of 2025 32,763 79.7% of the 41,113 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 8.7% All 2012 cars 9.2%
- Tests with an advisory 56.5% All 2012 cars 62.0%
- MOT tests in 2025 31,106 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2012 BMW 3 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 13 years old, 68.1% of 2012 BMW 3 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 63.6% for all cars first registered in 2012. 2012 BMW 3 Series did better than average for their age, by 4.5 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 68.8% of the time (all 2012 cars 64.5%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ’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% |
| ’14 | 75.7% | 69.1% |
| ’15 | 79.7% | 72.6% |
| ’16 | 83.2% | 75.6% |
| ’17 | 84.4% | 79.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2012 BMW 3 Series
Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak was the most common single reason a 2012 BMW 3 Series failed, on 14.0% of about 9,900 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (45.3% of failed tests; all 2012 cars 42.0%). 8.7% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 9.2% for all cars first registered in 2012. 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 | 14.0% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 13.1% |
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 9.0% |
| Linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Suspension | 8.5% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.9% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.7% |
| Parking brake efficiency below requirements Brakes | 6.5% |
| Side repeaters: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.3% |
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.1% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 6.1% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 3 Series vs all 2012 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 45.3% |
| Suspension | 38.7% |
| Tyres | 23.6% |
| Brakes | 19.0% |
| Visibility | 12.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 9.4% |
| Road wheels | 4.9% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 3.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2012 BMW 3 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 56.5% of 2012 BMW 3 Series tests had at least one (all 2012 cars 62.0%). 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 | 22.7% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 9.1% |
| Play in steering rack inner joint(s) Non-component advisories | 9.0% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 8.4% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 7.6% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 6.4% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.0% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 4.0% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 3.2% |
| Registration plates: deteriorated but not likely to be misread Identification of the vehicle | 2.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2012 BMW 3 Series?
Half of the 2012 BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 114,900 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 88,400 and a quarter more than 142,800. For all cars first registered in 2012, the middle figure was 90,800 miles, so 2012 BMW 3 Series have been driven 26.5% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 BMW 3 Series | 65,700 | 88,400 | 114,900 | 142,800 | 169,600 | 29,977 |
| All 2012 cars | 47,100 | 66,700 | 90,800 | 117,400 | 145,000 | 1,483,042 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2012 BMW 3 Series are left?
At the end of 2014, 41,113 2012 BMW 3 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 32,763 were: 30,473 licensed and 2,290 declared off the road (SORN). That is 79.7% still on the record, against 83.1% for all cars first registered in 2012.
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 | 2012 BMW 3 Series | All 2012 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 96.7% | 97.0% |
| 2016 | 96.2% | 98.2% |
| 2017 | 96.2% | 97.4% |
| 2018 | 94.5% | 96.3% |
| 2019 | 92.9% | 95.2% |
| 2020 | 91.4% | 93.9% |
| 2021 | 90.0% | 93.0% |
| 2022 | 88.4% | 91.4% |
| 2023 | 85.7% | 89.2% |
| 2024 | 83.0% | 86.5% |
| 2025 | 79.7% | 83.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2012
7 of the BMW 3 Series’s 67 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2012. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2012 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2012 may have been built in 2011, 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 |
| 24 Jan 2023 | A possible degradation of the propellant tablets could lead to an over-aggressive combustion in the event the airbag is activated which may cause the inflator body to rupture. | 13 Jun 2012 to 30 Jun 2017 | 92,048 |
| 1 Aug 2022 | The exhaust gas recirculation cooler may leak over time and cause thermal incident | 9 Dec 2011 to 21 Nov 2019 | 319,399 (all models) |
| 7 Dec 2018 | Exhaust gas recirculation module cooler could leak | 9 Dec 2011 to 11 Apr 2017 | 225,449 (all models) |
| 21 Dec 2016 | Power steering may not perform correctly | 19 Sept 2011 to 8 Dec 2015 | 41 (all models) |
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 | 31,106 MOT tests of 2012 BMW 3 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 32,763 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 2012; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2012.
- 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.