BMW 750i — MOT pass rate & failures
4,488 MOT tests on the BMW 750i (1988–2022) give an 85.0% pass rate. That is 1.6 percentage points worse than the 13.4% fail rate across all BMW 7 Series versions, so the 750i is a weaker pick within the range. Failures concentrate in suspension, lighting & signalling and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
At component level the recurring items are pins and bushes, catalyst emissions and headlamp aim — pins and bushes alone was recorded 107 times.
Mileage is the strongest signal on the record: 7.9% of 0-30k cars fail, rising to 20.3% once past 150k — 2.6× the risk.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 18.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 16.0% in 2021 to 14.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
By model year
| Year | Tests | Pass rate | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | 65 | 84.6% | 15.4% |
| 1990 | 34 | 88.2% | 11.8% |
| 1995 | 104 | 78.8% | 21.1% |
| 1996 | 155 | 83.2% | 16.8% |
| 1997 | 169 | 81.7% | 18.3% |
| 1998 | 212 | 82.5% | 17.4% |
| 1999 | 132 | 79.5% | 20.4% |
| 2000 | 128 | 87.5% | 12.5% |
| 2001 | 54 | 87.0% | 13.0% |
| 2005 | 664 | 79.1% | 20.9% |
| 2006 | 516 | 82.0% | 18.0% |
| 2007 | 241 | 80.5% | 19.5% |
| 2008 | 175 | 84.6% | 15.4% |
| 2009 | 203 | 81.3% | 18.7% |
| 2010 | 88 | 83.0% | 17.1% |
| 2011 | 83 | 86.8% | 13.3% |
| 2012 | 43 | 90.7% | 9.3% |
| 2013 | 80 | 92.5% | 7.5% |
| 2014 | 123 | 82.9% | 17.1% |
| 2015 | 40 | 92.5% | 7.5% |
| 2016 | 421 | 93.6% | 6.4% |
| 2017 | 483 | 92.5% | 7.4% |
| 2018 | 182 | 93.4% | 6.6% |
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 5.8% | 258 |
| 2 | Lighting & signalling | 5.2% | 233 |
| 3 | Tyres | 4.3% | 191 |
| 4 | Brakes | 4.2% | 190 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.1% | 138 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 135 |
| 7 | Seat belts & restraints | 1.9% | 86 |
| 8 | Body, structure & corrosion | 0.9% | 41 |
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 | 107 |
| 2 | Catalyst emissions | 101 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 96 |
| 4 | Washers | 93 |
| 5 | Ball joint | 90 |
| 6 | Tread depth | 75 |
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 | 18.5% | 831 |
| 2 | Brakes | 16.6% | 746 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 15.5% | 694 |
| 4 | Suspension | 15.0% | 673 |
| 5 | Other defects | 5.4% | 243 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.7% | 165 |
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 | 466 | 7.9% |
| 30-60k | 950 | 9.4% |
| 60-90k | 976 | 13.8% |
| 90-120k | 931 | 17.8% |
| 120-150k | 618 | 20.2% |
| 150k+ | 497 | 20.3% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,022 | 16.0% |
| 2022 | 958 | 15.2% |
| 2023 | 918 | 17.1% |
| 2024 | 807 | 11.8% |
| 2025 | 783 | 14.1% |
What to check before buying a BMW 750i
Focus on the areas it most often fails on — and remember MOT data covers testable defects only, not engine or gearbox health.
- Suspension (5.8% 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.
- Lighting & signalling (5.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (4.3% 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.
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 750i at MOT time?
85.0% of the 4,488 BMW 750i MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 14.9% fail rate, worse than the 13.4% average across all 7 Series versions.
What is the most common MOT failure on a BMW 750i?
Suspension, recorded in 5.8% of tests, followed by lighting & signalling (5.2%).
Does the 750i get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 7.9% in the 0-30k band to 20.3% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 4,488 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.