2008 BMW M5 — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2008 BMW M5 passed 93.2% of its 502 recorded MOT tests. That is 15.8 percentage points better than executive cars of a similar age, which fail at 22.6%. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, tyres and emissions & environmental.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (3.2%) and tyres (2.4%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are malfunction indicator lamp, tread depth and headlamp aim — malfunction indicator lamp alone was recorded 8 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2008 M5 fails 4.8% of the time in the 30-60k band and 6.7% at 90-120k, a spread of only 1.9 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 14.5% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 10.5% in 2021 to 5.1% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 3.2% | 16 |
| 2 | Tyres | 2.4% | 12 |
| 3 | Emissions & environmental | 1.8% | 9 |
| 4 | Visibility | 1.4% | 7 |
| 5 | Suspension | 1.4% | 7 |
| 6 | Brakes | 0.4% | 2 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 8 |
| 2 | Tread depth | 6 |
| 3 | Headlamp aim | 5 |
| 4 | Position lamp | 4 |
| 5 | Catalyst emissions | 4 |
| 6 | Ball joint dust cover | 4 |
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 | 14.5% | 73 |
| 2 | Brakes | 9.8% | 49 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.6% | 28 |
| 4 | Other defects | 4.2% | 21 |
| 5 | Emissions & environmental | 3.2% | 16 |
| 6 | Visibility | 3.0% | 15 |
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 | 105 | 4.8% |
| 60-90k | 208 | 8.6% |
| 90-120k | 135 | 6.7% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 114 | 10.5% |
| 2022 | 102 | 6.9% |
| 2023 | 94 | 5.3% |
| 2024 | 93 | 5.4% |
| 2025 | 99 | 5.1% |
What to check before buying a 2008 M5
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 3.2% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (3.2% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Tyres (2.4% 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.
- Emissions & environmental (1.8% of tests): More common on older diesels (DPF/EGR) — can be expensive; check for warning lights and smoke. Typical repair: £100–£600.
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 M5s pass their MOT?
93.2% of the 502 2008 BMW M5 MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 6.8% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2008 BMW M5?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 3.2% of tests, followed by tyres (2.4%).
Does the 2008 M5 get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 4.8% in the 30-60k band to 6.7% in the 90-120k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 502 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.