Car statistics by year
2015 BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 2015: 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 2015, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 79.7% All 2015 cars 72.6%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 93,100 miles; all 2015 cars 72,100
- Left at the end of 2025 31,612 91.6% of the 34,505 at the end of 2015
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 7.1% All 2015 cars 7.2%
- Tests with an advisory 45.2% All 2015 cars 51.7%
- MOT tests in 2025 31,203 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2015 BMW 3 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 10 years old, 79.7% of 2015 BMW 3 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.6% for all cars first registered in 2015. 2015 BMW 3 Series did better than average for their age, by 7.1 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 81.1% of the time (all 2015 cars 74.3%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ’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% |
| ’18 | 85.7% | 81.8% |
| ’19 | 87.0% | 84.4% |
| ’20 | 87.1% | 86.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2015 BMW 3 Series
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm was the most common single reason a 2015 BMW 3 Series failed, on 12.5% of about 6,300 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (36.6% of failed tests; all 2015 cars 30.7%). 7.1% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.2% for all cars first registered in 2015. 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 |
|---|---|
| Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm Tyres | 12.5% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 8.8% |
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 8.0% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 7.6% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 7.3% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 7.1% |
| Headlamp: not working on dipped beam Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 7.0% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 6.2% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.9% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 5.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 3 Series vs all 2015 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 36.6% |
| Tyres | 35.4% |
| Suspension | 19.0% |
| Brakes | 17.4% |
| Visibility | 12.1% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.5% |
| Road wheels | 4.0% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 2.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2015 BMW 3 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 45.2% of 2015 BMW 3 Series tests had at least one (all 2015 cars 51.7%). 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 | 20.5% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 8.4% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 8.2% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 5.5% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 3.8% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 3.2% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 3.2% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.6% |
| Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 2.1% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 1.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2015 BMW 3 Series?
Half of the 2015 BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 93,100 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 72,200 and a quarter more than 117,000. For all cars first registered in 2015, the middle figure was 72,100 miles, so 2015 BMW 3 Series have been driven 29.1% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 BMW 3 Series | 54,700 | 72,200 | 93,100 | 117,000 | 143,300 | 30,020 |
| All 2015 cars | 36,100 | 52,200 | 72,100 | 94,600 | 119,500 | 2,231,507 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2015 BMW 3 Series are left?
At the end of 2015, 34,505 2015 BMW 3 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 31,612 were: 30,863 licensed and 749 declared off the road (SORN). That is 91.6% still on the record, against 93.2% for all cars first registered in 2015.
Share still on the record since 2015
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2015. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2015 BMW 3 Series | All 2015 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2016 | 100.7% | 100.7% |
| 2017 | 99.2% | 99.9% |
| 2018 | 96.2% | 96.7% |
| 2019 | 96.0% | 97.6% |
| 2020 | 95.8% | 96.9% |
| 2021 | 95.6% | 96.7% |
| 2022 | 94.7% | 96.1% |
| 2023 | 93.8% | 95.3% |
| 2024 | 92.7% | 94.3% |
| 2025 | 91.6% | 93.2% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2015
13 of the BMW 3 Series’s 67 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2015. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2015 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2015 may have been built in 2014, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
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 | 31,203 MOT tests of 2015 BMW 3 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 31,612 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 2015; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2015.
- 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.