What year BMW 318 I S is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1993 BMW 318 I S has the highest pass rate at 91.7%, out of 760 vehicles tested.

What are the most common BMW 318 I S MOT failures?

The most common BMW 318 I S MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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BMW 318 I S — Reliability by Year

2,457 vehicles · MOT data 1992–1995 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the BMW 318 I S was manufactured — click any year to explore that cohort in detail. Trying to decide which year to buy? See the full buying guide →

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Best pass rate year

1993

91.7% pass rate · 760 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1995

44.7% pass rate · 458 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1995	44.7%	78,090 mi	458
1994	70.6%	121,384 mi	558
1993	91.7%	148,963 mi	760
1992	—	—	681

Which year BMW 318 I S is most reliable?

MOT pass rate by year of manufacture — averaged across each vehicle's lifetime of tests. Green = noticeably above average for this model; red = noticeably below average.

Tests range from an average of 78,090 miles (newest year) to 148,963 miles (oldest year). Older years naturally accumulate more tests at higher mileages — see the mileage-normalised breakdown →

Trying to decide which year to buy?

We've done the full analysis — which years to look for, which to avoid, and where to find the best value for reliability on a BMW 318 I S.

See the buying guide →

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