BMW Z3 reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: Z3

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 78,574 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

74.4%

Share of this model's 78,574 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

CO2 emission

Euro emissions

Tax cost

£370/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

88,760

Moderate average mileage in the current pool.

Life expectancy miles

88,766

Lower mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

25.1

Older average age in the represented fleet.

Vehicles represented

9,913

9,913 valid MOT, 0 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

78,574

78,574 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Rare

9,913On the road

Insight summary

BMW Z3 is a rare model in this snapshot, with 9,913 represented vehicles and 0.02% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 74.4% from 78,574 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 58. The current pool shows an average of 88,760 miles and an average age of 25.1 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 88,766 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by other, and the most frequent defect themes are lighting, exhaust emissions and parking brake. The practical read is that the BMW Z3 looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
PETROL	9,850
OTHER	60
ELECTRIC	2
DIESEL	1

Euro NCAP Safety

No NCAP tests found for this model.

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))	1,982
Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))	1,615
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	1,396
Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))	1,365
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))	1,353
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	1,182
Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))	870
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	816
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	708
Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	680
Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	673
Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))	644
Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))	601
Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	598
Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))	561
Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))	544
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	529
Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))	497
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	489
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	484
Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))	465
Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	463
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	455
Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))	430
Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))	423

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 19,823 defects across this top 25 set

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

1,982

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

1,615

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

1,396

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

1,365

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

1,353

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

1,182

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

870

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

816

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

708

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

680

Nearside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

673

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

644

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

601

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

598

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

561

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

544

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

529

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

497

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

489

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

484

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

465

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

463

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

455

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

430

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

423

BMW Z3 reliability and MOT data