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Bmw 3 series vs Bmw 323i se: reliability comparison

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

Bmw 3 series
75%
MOT pass rate · 996,044 vehicles
Bmw 323i se
65%
MOT pass rate · 444 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Bmw 3 series (75%) and Bmw 323i se (65%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Bmw 3 series Bmw 323i se
MOT pass rate 75% 65%
MOT failure rate 25% 35%
Faults & advisories per test 2.0 0.0
Dangerous-fault share 2%
Average mileage 128,558 mi 299,954 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 996,044 444

Most common faults

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))

Bmw 323i se

No fault breakdown available.

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Bmw 3 series (75%) and Bmw 323i se (65%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Bmw 3 series report Full Bmw 323i se 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.