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Bmw 3 series vs Bmw R850gs: 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 R850gs
100%
MOT pass rate · 12 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Bmw 3 series (75%) and Bmw R850gs (100%) 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 R850gs
MOT pass rate 75% 100%
MOT failure rate 25% 0%
Faults & advisories per test 2.0 0.0
Dangerous-fault share 2%
Average mileage 128,558 mi 32,760 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 996,044 12

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 R850gs

No fault breakdown available.

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Bmw 3 series (75%) and Bmw R850gs (100%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Bmw 3 series report Full Bmw R850gs 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.