BMW 730d — MOT pass rate & failures
The BMW 730d passed 86.7% of its 54,229 MOT tests, covering model years 1993–2022. That tracks the BMW 7 Series range as a whole almost exactly. Failures concentrate in suspension, tyres and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, tread depth and coil spring — pins and bushes alone was recorded 1,349 times.
Condition tracks the odometer closely. Failures run at 6.4% in the 0-30k band and 16.4% in the 150k+ band, a 10.0-point spread — more than double.
Advisories point at the next bill rather than this one: tyres was flagged on 21.2% of tests without failing them.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 14.9% in 2021 to 11.7% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 835 | 81.7% | 18.3% |
| 2004 | 960 | 80.4% | 19.6% |
| 2005 | 2,040 | 79.2% | 20.8% |
| 2006 | 4,158 | 78.8% | 21.2% |
| 2007 | 2,859 | 81.7% | 18.3% |
| 2008 | 3,228 | 81.2% | 18.8% |
| 2009 | 2,288 | 85.3% | 14.7% |
| 2010 | 2,881 | 85.6% | 14.4% |
| 2011 | 3,957 | 84.1% | 15.9% |
| 2012 | 3,004 | 86.2% | 13.8% |
| 2013 | 2,308 | 85.3% | 14.7% |
| 2014 | 4,132 | 86.2% | 13.8% |
| 2015 | 3,314 | 88.1% | 11.9% |
| 2016 | 4,837 | 91.4% | 8.6% |
| 2017 | 4,009 | 92.2% | 7.8% |
| 2018 | 3,541 | 92.9% | 7.1% |
| 2019 | 3,330 | 93.3% | 6.7% |
| 2020 | 1,413 | 94.3% | 5.7% |
| 2021 | 809 | 93.0% | 7.0% |
| 2022 | 320 | 94.4% | 5.6% |
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.3% | 2,870 |
| 2 | Tyres | 5.2% | 2,832 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 3.7% | 2,008 |
| 4 | Brakes | 2.8% | 1,510 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.3% | 1,249 |
| 6 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.3% | 699 |
| 7 | Road wheels | 1.2% | 647 |
| 8 | Emissions & environmental | 1.2% | 629 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pins and bushes | 1,349 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 1,332 |
| 3 | Coil spring | 1,108 |
| 4 | Ball joint | 1,057 |
| 5 | Headlamp aim | 843 |
| 6 | Washers | 790 |
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 | 21.2% | 11,499 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.5% | 7,886 |
| 3 | Suspension | 14.0% | 7,583 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 8.7% | 4,717 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.8% | 3,132 |
| 6 | Visibility | 4.5% | 2,424 |
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 | 4,110 | 6.4% |
| 30-60k | 10,085 | 8.9% |
| 60-90k | 11,110 | 12.4% |
| 90-120k | 10,675 | 15.2% |
| 120-150k | 8,713 | 17.2% |
| 150k+ | 9,455 | 16.4% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 11,333 | 14.9% |
| 2022 | 11,467 | 13.7% |
| 2023 | 11,061 | 13.6% |
| 2024 | 10,504 | 12.6% |
| 2025 | 9,864 | 11.7% |
What to check before buying a BMW 730d
Focus on the areas it most often fails on — and remember MOT data covers testable defects only, not engine or gearbox health.
- Suspension (5.3% 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 (5.2% 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 (3.7% 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 reliable is the BMW 730d at MOT time?
86.7% of the 54,229 BMW 730d MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 13.4% fail rate, in line with the 13.4% average across all 7 Series versions.
What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW 730d?
Suspension, recorded in 5.3% of tests, followed by tyres (5.2%).
Does the 730d get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 6.4% in the 0-30k band to 16.4% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 54,229 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.