What year BMW 318 Is is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 1991 BMW 318 Is has the highest pass rate at 97.1%, out of 280 vehicles tested.

What are the most common BMW 318 Is MOT failures?

The most common BMW 318 Is 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 Is — Reliability by Year

2,354 vehicles · MOT data 1990–1999 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the BMW 318 Is 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

1991

97.1% pass rate · 280 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1999

57.6% pass rate · 232 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
1999	57.6%	127,765 mi	232
1998	67.2%	130,454 mi	295
1997	68.3%	113,974 mi	325
1996	76.8%	101,929 mi	381
1991	97.1%	141,184 mi	280
1990	78.9%	138,375 mi	841

Which year BMW 318 Is 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 101,929 miles (newest year) to 141,184 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 Is.

See the buying guide →

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