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Bmw 118 vs Bmw 3 series e46 limited edition: reliability comparison

MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.

Bmw 118
81%
MOT pass rate · 195,122 vehicles
Bmw 3 series e46 limited edition
88%
MOT pass rate · 1 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Bmw 118 (81%) and Bmw 3 series e46 limited edition (88%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Bmw 118 Bmw 3 series e46 limited edition
MOT pass rate 81% 88%
MOT failure rate 19% 12%
Faults & advisories per test 1.5 1.8
Dangerous-fault share 4% 0%
Average mileage 85,676 mi 93,219 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 195,122 1

Most common faults

Bmw 118

  1. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  2. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  3. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  4. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  5. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  6. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Bmw 3 series e46 limited edition

  1. Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))
  2. Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))
  3. Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)
  4. Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))
  5. sign of wear and movement in both front lower arm,rear bushes.
  6. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Bmw 118 (81%) and Bmw 3 series e46 limited edition (88%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Bmw 118 report Full Bmw 3 series e46 limited edition 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.