Bmw 118 vs Bmw 3: reliability comparison
MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.
Bmw 118
81%
MOT pass rate · 195,122 vehicles
More reliable
Bmw 3
77%
MOT pass rate · 368 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate, the Bmw 118 is the more reliable of the two — 81% pass first time versus 77%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Head to head
| Measure | Bmw 118 | Bmw 3 |
|---|---|---|
| MOT pass rate | 81% ✓ | 77% |
| MOT failure rate | 19% ✓ | 23% |
| Faults & advisories per test | 1.5 ✓ | 1.7 |
| Dangerous-fault share | 4% | 2% ✓ |
| Average mileage | 85,676 mi | 121,700 mi |
| Sample size (vehicles) | 195,122 | 368 |
Most common faults
Bmw 118
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
Bmw 3
- Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
- Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
- Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
- Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)
Reliability FAQ
On MOT pass rate, the Bmw 118 is the more reliable of the two — 81% pass first time versus 77%. It's one signal among several; check the full breakdown below.
Full Bmw 118 report Full Bmw 3 report Most reliable cars
Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.