BMW 318 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 318

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 51,229 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

86.2%

Share of this model's 51,229 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

CO2 emission

Euro emissions

Tax cost

£300/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

76,212

Moderate average mileage in the current pool.

Life expectancy miles

95,714

Lower mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

8.3

Average age sits in the mid-fleet band.

Vehicles represented

8,435

8,435 valid MOT, 0 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

51,229

51,229 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Rare

8,435On the road

Insight summary

BMW 318 is a rare model in this snapshot, with 8,435 represented vehicles and 0.02% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 86.2% from 51,229 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 55. The current pool shows an average of 76,212 miles and an average age of 8.3 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 95,714 miles. Diesel leads the fuel split, followed by petrol, and the most frequent defect themes are tyre condition, windscreen damage and brake pads. The practical read is that the BMW 318 looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
DIESEL	4,566
PETROL	3,864
ELECTRIC DIESEL	3
LPG	1
OTHER	1

Euro NCAP Safety

No NCAP tests found for this model.

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	599
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	571
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	548
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	390
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	291
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	253
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	215
Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	199
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))	191
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	189
Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	169
Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))	168
Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	153
Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))	152
Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	152
Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	149
Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	144
Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	143
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	141
Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))	129
Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	127
Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	121
Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	118
Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	110
Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	110

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 5,532 defects across this top 25 set

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

599

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

571

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

548

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

390

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

291

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

253

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

215

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

199

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))

191

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

189

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

169

Tyre pressure monitoring system malfunctioning or obviously inoperative (5.2.3 (h))

168

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

153

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

152

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

152

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

149

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

144

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

143

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

141

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

129

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

127

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

121

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

118

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

110

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

110

BMW 318 reliability and MOT data