What year BMW 518 is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 2016 BMW 518 has the highest pass rate at 88.8%, out of 358 vehicles tested.

What are the most common BMW 518 MOT failures?

The most common BMW 518 MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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BMW 518 — Reliability by Year

10,701 vehicles · MOT data 1980–2016 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the BMW 518 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

2016

88.8% pass rate · 358 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1984

57.0% pass rate · 467 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
2016	88.8%	82,452 mi	358
2015	88.2%	88,061 mi	680
2014	86.5%	90,822 mi	1,111
2013	85.5%	94,059 mi	428
1996	71.5%	125,652 mi	602
1995	68.9%	127,018 mi	1,112
1994	67.2%	134,996 mi	640
1993	68.7%	121,399 mi	752
1992	67.4%	137,016 mi	967
1991	67.0%	140,673 mi	795
1990	67.7%	141,571 mi	722
1987	63.7%	127,246 mi	214
1986	65.3%	120,736 mi	123
1985	66.4%	122,225 mi	107
1984	57.0%	110,173 mi	467
1983	63.1%	99,767 mi	833
1982	62.0%	141,828 mi	154
1981	—	—	167
1980	73.3%	104,704 mi	469

Which year BMW 518 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 82,452 miles (newest year) to 141,828 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 518.

See the buying guide →

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