2008 BMW 6 Series — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 BMW 6 Series passed 82.2% of its 6,783 recorded MOT tests. Coupes & convertibles of a similar age fail 21.0% of the time, so this is 3.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — suspension (8.2%) and tyres (5.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are ball joint, linkage ball joint dust cover and tread depth — ball joint alone was recorded 245 times.
A 150k+ example is materially riskier than a 0-30k one: 21.3% versus 1.8%.
Fuel type barely separates them — petrol fails 17.1% of the time against 18.5% for diesel.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 24.4% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 8.2% | 557 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.5% | 375 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.3% | 362 |
| 4 | Brakes | 3.6% | 246 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.6% | 177 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 142 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ball joint | 245 |
| 2 | Linkage ball joint dust cover | 209 |
| 3 | Tread depth | 163 |
| 4 | Headlamp aim | 152 |
| 5 | Headlamp | 148 |
| 6 | Coil spring | 126 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 24.4% | 1,658 |
| 2 | Suspension | 21.9% | 1,488 |
| 3 | Brakes | 18.4% | 1,245 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 12.4% | 842 |
| 5 | Other defects | 7.3% | 493 |
| 6 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 289 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 54 | 1.8% |
| 30-60k | 409 | 10.8% |
| 60-90k | 1,479 | 15.1% |
| 90-120k | 2,166 | 18.5% |
| 120-150k | 1,563 | 19.5% |
| 150k+ | 1,110 | 21.3% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 3,502 | 18.5% |
| Petrol | 3,281 | 17.1% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,464 | 17.6% |
| 2022 | 1,430 | 17.4% |
| 2023 | 1,393 | 18.0% |
| 2024 | 1,302 | 18.9% |
| 2025 | 1,194 | 17.3% |
What to check before buying a 2008 6 Series
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: suspension accounted for 8.2% of tests. Start there.
- Suspension (8.2% of tests): Worn drop links, bushes, springs or shocks — listen for knocks over bumps and check for uneven tyre wear. Typical repair: £150–£450 per corner.
- Tyres (5.5% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
- Lighting & signalling (5.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2008 BMW 6 Seriess pass their MOT?
82.2% of the 6,783 2008 BMW 6 Series MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 17.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 BMW 6 Series?
Suspension, recorded in 8.2% of tests, followed by tyres (5.5%).
Does the 2008 6 Series get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 1.8% in the 0-30k band to 21.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 6,783 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.