RegVerdict Model Intelligence
BMW 5 Series reliability
MOT pass rates & common faults·138,114 DVSA tests·2024
Across 138,114 real DVSA MOT tests in 2024, 89% of BMW 5 Series cars aged 4 to 7 years pass their MOT first time, ahead of the 85% average for all cars of that age. It holds up especially well on steering and brakes.
89%
Strong for its agepass first time (4 to 7 years)
Strong for its age · beats 63% of peers
+4.2 pts
MOT pass rate by age
Up to 3 years
4,535 tests · fleet 89%
93%
4 to 7 years
101,572 tests · fleet 85%
89%
8 to 12 years
20,966 tests · fleet 73%
77%
13 years and older
11,041 tests · fleet 61%
72%
Where the 5 Series fails
Suspension99
Brakes100
Body & structure100
Steering100
Tyres96
Lights & electrics99
Holds up better on steering, brakes, visibility.
Share of 4 to 7 years BMW 5 Series MOTs with no fault in each area; the marker shows the fleet average. OGL v3.0.
How it tends to age
How the BMW 5 Series tends to age
The MOT areas flagged most often on BMW 5 Series models 13 years and older. It is the model’s typical pattern across millions of tests, not a forecast for this specific car.
- Lights & electrics · flagged on ~7% of MOTsGrows with age
- Suspension · flagged on ~6% of MOTsGrows with age
- Brakes · flagged on ~4% of MOTs
- Tyres · flagged on ~4% of MOTs
Common questions
Is the BMW 5 Series reliable?
On 2024 MOT data the BMW 5 Series holds up well for its age: 89% of examples aged 4 to 7 years pass first time, against a 85% fleet average. That puts it ahead of 63% of similar-age models.
What is the MOT pass rate for a BMW 5 Series?
First-time MOT pass rates for the BMW 5 Series in 2024: up to 3 years, 93%; 4 to 7 years, 89%; 8 to 12 years, 77%; and 13 years and older, 72%. Pass rates fall with age across the whole fleet, so compare each figure with cars of the same age, not with a new car.
What commonly fails on a BMW 5 Series MOT?
No single area stands out as a recurring weakness for the BMW 5 Series versus other cars of the same age. Its MOT failures are spread across the usual wear items (tyres, brakes, lamps).
Other BMW models
Check a BMW 5 Series’s full history