BMW 3 Series (2004)
2004 BMW 3 Series
CarHunch analysed 41,910 real MOT records for the 2004 BMW 3 Series. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 2004 BMW 3 Series passes its MOT first time in just 74.9% of cases, notably below the UK average of 80%, and this becomes a serious concern when you learn that 40.5% of these cars have recorded a dangerous defect at some point—well above what you'd want to see. Diesel variants fare slightly worse than petrol (73.6% vs 76.1% pass rate), suggesting the engine choice matters for reliability here.
At an average mileage of 92,366 miles for a 20-year-old car, these examples have been driven fairly hard, and they're backing that up with an average of 4.46 failures and 25.3 advisories per test—meaning electrical, suspension, and brake issues are chronic. If you're seriously considering one, budget for repairs and get a full pre-purchase inspection focused on the cooling system, electrics, and suspension components, which tend to be the problem areas on ageing 3 Series models.
Petrol vs Diesel
Pass rate difference of 2.5 percentage points — worth knowing if you're choosing between the two.
What to check before buying a 2004 BMW 3 Series
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- ⚠️ 40.5% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
Before you buy a BMW 3 Series
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (52%) | 21,988 | 76.1% | 4.4 |
| Diesel (47%) | 19,900 | 73.6% | 4.53 |
| LPG (0%) | 16 | 75.1% | 4.31 |
| Electric (0%) | 3 | 78.5% | 2.67 |
| Gas Bi-Fuel (0%) | 2 | 52.1% | 4.5 |
| Other (0%) | 1 | 75% | 6 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 2004 BMW 3 Series vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 2004 BMW 3 Series vehicles fall between 60,531 and 93,579 miles.
2004 BMW 3 Series — Still on the Road
Numbers are declining — 7,459 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (21% of peak).
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
MOT History Averages
Found a specific BMW 3 Series?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.