2007 BMW Alpina — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2007 BMW Alpina passed 83.4% of its 881 recorded MOT tests. That is 10.4 percentage points better than all cars of a similar age, which fail at 26.9%. Failures cluster in brakes, suspension and lighting & signalling.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — brakes (7.1%) and suspension (6.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are headlamp aim, shock absorbers and rbt (sp) — headlamp aim alone was recorded 34 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2007 Alpina fails 18.2% of the time in the 30-60k band and 16.0% at 150k+, a spread of only 2.1 points.
Brakes is the most common advisory, noted on 30.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 18.6% in 2021 to 15.8% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 7.1% | 63 |
| 2 | Suspension | 6.5% | 57 |
| 3 | Lighting & signalling | 5.9% | 52 |
| 4 | Tyres | 5.7% | 50 |
| 5 | Visibility | 3.1% | 27 |
| 6 | Road wheels | 0.9% | 8 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Headlamp aim | 34 |
| 2 | Shock absorbers | 34 |
| 3 | Rbt (sp) | 24 |
| 4 | Tread depth | 21 |
| 5 | Washers | 18 |
| 6 | Position lamp | 16 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brakes | 30.9% | 272 |
| 2 | Suspension | 23.2% | 204 |
| 3 | Tyres | 21.1% | 186 |
| 4 | Other defects | 8.3% | 73 |
| 5 | Visibility | 8.0% | 70 |
| 6 | Emissions & environmental | 7.1% | 63 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 30-60k | 44 | 18.2% |
| 60-90k | 95 | 12.6% |
| 90-120k | 187 | 19.8% |
| 120-150k | 238 | 16.4% |
| 150k+ | 312 | 16.0% |
Failure rate by age
By fuel type
| Fuel | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | 835 | 16.5% |
| Petrol | 46 | 17.4% |
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 188 | 18.6% |
| 2022 | 183 | 14.8% |
| 2023 | 184 | 18.5% |
| 2024 | 162 | 14.8% |
| 2025 | 164 | 15.8% |
What to check before buying a 2007 Alpina
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: brakes accounted for 7.1% of tests. Start there.
- Brakes (7.1% of tests): Pads/discs are routine wear; binding, imbalance or corroded pipes are more serious — test for pulling under braking. Typical repair: £100–£350 per axle.
- Suspension (6.5% 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 (5.9% 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 2007 BMW Alpinas pass their MOT?
83.4% of the 881 2007 BMW Alpina MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 16.6% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2007 BMW Alpina?
Brakes, recorded in 7.1% of tests, followed by suspension (6.5%).
Does the 2007 Alpina get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 18.2% in the 30-60k band to 16.0% in the 150k+ band.
Methodology & source. Based on 881 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.