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Bmw 218 cabriolet vs Bmw 3 series: reliability comparison

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

Bmw 218 cabriolet
55%
MOT pass rate · 1 vehicles
Bmw 3 series
75%
MOT pass rate · 996,044 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Bmw 218 cabriolet (55%) and Bmw 3 series (75%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Bmw 218 cabriolet Bmw 3 series
MOT pass rate 55% 75%
MOT failure rate 45% 25%
Faults & advisories per test 0.9 2.0
Dangerous-fault share 50% 2%
Average mileage 62,656 mi 128,558 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 1 996,044

Most common faults

Bmw 218 cabriolet

  1. Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))
  2. Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii))
  3. Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements incorrectly spaced (0.1 (d))
  4. Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements incorrectly spaced (0.1 (d))
  5. Offside Front Obligatory mirror slightly damaged (3.3 (b) (i))
  6. Offside Front Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Bmw 3 series

  1. Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  2. Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  3. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  5. Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components
  6. Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Bmw 218 cabriolet (55%) and Bmw 3 series (75%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Bmw 218 cabriolet report Full Bmw 3 series 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.