BMW M3 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: M3

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 91,897 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

86.6%

Share of this model's 91,897 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

29.3 mpg

CO2 emission

225 g/km

Euro emissions

Euro 6

Tax cost

£330/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

84,697

Moderate average mileage in the current pool.

Life expectancy miles

88,920

Lower mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

18.1

Older average age in the represented fleet.

Vehicles represented

14,190

14,188 valid MOT, 2 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

91,897

91,897 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Scarce

14,190On the road

Insight summary

BMW M3 is a scarce model in this snapshot, with 14,190 represented vehicles and 0.03% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 86.6% from 91,897 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 75. The current pool shows an average of 84,697 miles and an average age of 18.1 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 88,920 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by other, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, engine warning light and exhaust emissions. The practical read is that the BMW M3 looks convincing in this view, especially where normal wear items have been kept on top of.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
PETROL	14,092
OTHER	91
DIESEL	6
LPG	1

Euro NCAP Safety

No NCAP tests found for this model.

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	1,126
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	732
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))	618
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))	522
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	481
Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	442
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))	422
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	383
Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	362
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	345
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))	312
Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	304
Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	304
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	301
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	299
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	294
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	291
Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))	287
Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	278
Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))	245
Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))	230
Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))	227
Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))	225
Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))	224
Horn not working (7.7 (a))	217

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 9,471 defects across this top 25 set

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

1,126

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

732

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

618

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

522

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

481

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

442

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

422

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

383

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

362

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

345

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

312

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

304

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

304

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

301

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

299

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

294

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

291

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

287

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

278

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

245

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

230

Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

227

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

225

Electronic stability control warning lamp indicates a fault (7.12 (e))

224

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

217

BMW M3 reliability and MOT data