Car statistics by year
2018 BMW 3 Series
BMW 3 Series cars first registered in 2018: 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 2018, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 85.7% All 2018 cars 81.8%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 64,100 miles; all 2018 cars 50,000
- Left at the end of 2025 23,947 93.5% of the 25,623 at the end of 2018
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 6.6% All 2018 cars 5.8%
- Tests with an advisory 39.8% All 2018 cars 43.2%
- MOT tests in 2025 24,315 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 2018 BMW 3 Series do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 7 years old, 85.7% of 2018 BMW 3 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 81.8% for all cars first registered in 2018. 2018 BMW 3 Series did better than average for their age, by 3.9 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 86.4% of the time (all 2018 cars 83.4%).
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 |
|---|---|---|
| ’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% |
| ’21 | 87.0% | 88.4% |
| ’22 | 85.2% | 89.4% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 2018 BMW 3 Series
Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm was the most common single reason a 2018 BMW 3 Series failed, on 14.3% of about 3,500 failed tests. By area of the car, tyres failed most often (47.0% of failed tests; all 2018 cars 30.9%). 6.6% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 5.8% for all cars first registered in 2018. 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 | 14.3% |
| Tyres: cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Tyres | 12.1% |
| Tyres: ply or cords exposed Tyres | 11.2% |
| Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick Brakes | 10.0% |
| Malfunction indicator lamp: inoperative or indicates a malfunction Noise, emissions and leaks | 8.3% |
| Shock absorbers: serious fluid leak Suspension | 7.7% |
| Tyres: bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure Tyres | 7.3% |
| Washers: provides insufficient washer liquid Visibility | 6.1% |
| Headlamp aim: too low Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 4.5% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 3.3% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: BMW 3 Series vs all 2018 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Tyres | 47.0% |
| Brakes | 16.6% |
| Suspension | 13.7% |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 13.4% |
| Visibility | 11.4% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 9.3% |
| Road wheels | 5.8% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 1.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 2018 BMW 3 Series
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 39.8% of 2018 BMW 3 Series tests had at least one (all 2018 cars 43.2%). 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 | 19.4% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 9.0% |
| Shock absorbers: light misting of oil Suspension | 5.4% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 4.9% |
| Brake discs: worn, but not excessively Brakes | 2.5% |
| Suspension arms: pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Suspension | 2.5% |
| Child seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt Non-component advisories | 2.4% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 2.3% |
| Nail in tyre Non-component advisories | 2.1% |
| Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 1.8% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 2018 BMW 3 Series?
Half of the 2018 BMW 3 Series tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 64,100 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 48,800 and a quarter more than 82,400. For all cars first registered in 2018, the middle figure was 50,000 miles, so 2018 BMW 3 Series have been driven 28.2% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 BMW 3 Series | 36,500 | 48,800 | 64,100 | 82,400 | 102,400 | 23,128 |
| All 2018 cars | 24,300 | 35,700 | 50,000 | 66,600 | 85,300 | 2,108,837 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 2018 BMW 3 Series are left?
At the end of 2018, 25,623 2018 BMW 3 Series were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom. By the end of 2025, 23,947 were: 23,500 licensed and 447 declared off the road (SORN). That is 93.5% still on the record, against 96.1% for all cars first registered in 2018.
Share still on the record since 2018
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2018. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 2018 BMW 3 Series | All 2018 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2019 | 102.0% | 99.9% |
| 2020 | 99.8% | 98.2% |
| 2021 | 94.9% | 95.9% |
| 2022 | 95.0% | 97.2% |
| 2023 | 94.0% | 97.0% |
| 2024 | 94.1% | 96.7% |
| 2025 | 93.5% | 96.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 2018
9 of the BMW 3 Series’s 67 recalls in DVSA’s records cover cars built during 2018. 2 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 2018 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 2018 may have been built in 2017, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Oct 2025 | Replace the Engine Starter Motor | 26 Oct 2015 to 21 Jun 2021 | 36,549 |
| 12 Sept 2022 | In rare cases the starter motor can inadvertently be activated permanently presenting a risk of a thermal event | 15 Sept 2015 to 31 Jul 2018 | 25,982 (all models) |
| 22 Aug 2022 | Undetected EGR System leaks may cause thermal activity in the intake manifold | 3 Dec 2014 to 1 Mar 2018 and 5 Jul 2018 to 12 Jul 2021 | 322,745 (all models) |
| 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) |
| 14 Jun 2021 | The exhaust gas recirculation module could leak over time | 10 Mar 2017 to 1 Oct 2018 | 18,330 (all models) |
| 9 Feb 2021 | The exhaust gas recirculation cooler could leak over time | 30 Jun 2015 to 17 Sept 2018 | 63,888 (all models) |
| 10 Aug 2020 | Steering tie rod can become broken in the 'kink' groove area of the rod | 22 Oct 2018 to 16 Mar 2019 | 4,542 (all models) |
| 15 Oct 2018 | Software fault in crankshaft sensor | 16 May 2018 to 7 Jun 2018 | 1,642 (all models) |
| 20 Aug 2018 | Software fault with crankshaft sensor | 18 May 2018 to 7 Jun 2018 | 4,025 (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 | 24,315 MOT tests of 2018 BMW 3 Series cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 23,947 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 2018; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 2018.
- 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.