What year BMW 523 is most reliable?

Based on MOT first-test pass rates, the 2011 BMW 523 has the highest pass rate at 86.4%, out of 227 vehicles tested.

What are the most common BMW 523 MOT failures?

The most common BMW 523 MOT failures vary by year. Check the individual year pages for detailed defect breakdowns — links in the table above.

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BMW 523 — Reliability by Year

20,668 vehicles · MOT data 1996–2011 · first-test pass rates

This page shows MOT first-test pass rates for each year the BMW 523 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

2011

86.4% pass rate · 227 vehicles

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Lowest pass rate year

1996

68.1% pass rate · 1,642 vehicles

Year	Pass rate	Avg mileage	Vehicles
2011	86.4%	61,478 mi	227
2010	83.6%	56,140 mi	300
2009	83.1%	71,549 mi	141
2008	83.0%	72,915 mi	260
2007	83.0%	73,872 mi	410
2006	81.0%	80,473 mi	601
2005	79.1%	81,796 mi	671
2000	71.0%	113,076 mi	2,971
1999	69.8%	118,522 mi	4,763
1998	69.6%	118,800 mi	5,238
1997	68.7%	123,540 mi	3,444
1996	68.1%	124,782 mi	1,642

Which year BMW 523 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 56,140 miles (newest year) to 124,782 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 523.

See the buying guide →

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