MOT cost .

BMW

216

8,059 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 216s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 4.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

82.2%

Pass-after-fix

4.2%

Fail

13.1%

Avg miles

73,878

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

ULEZ borderline — check VRM

Some examples of this model are borderline — a small number of diesels were certified Euro 6 before September 2015. Check your registration on the government's ULEZ checker to be certain. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 · Bristol £9.00 .

UK ULEZ & CAZ guide →

Performance by cohort

2 year bands · 8,059 tests

Pass rate climbs 4.4 points across the cohorts — newer 216 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.

Pre-2018 cohort 7,940

Pass

82.1%

Fail

13.1%

PRS

4.3%

Avg mileage at test

74,223 mi

2018–2020 cohort 119

Pass

86.5%

Fail

12.6%

PRS

0.8%

Avg mileage at test

50,920 mi

Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.

The picture

216: above-average pass rates, with caveats

Across 5,376 MOT tests, the 216 returns 82.1% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Windscreen damage and worn suspension bushes round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 66,441, which is the lens to read those failure rankings through. If you own one and the next test is close, the ranked list below is a sensible pre-test checklist.

ABI Insurance Group

Group 26–44

Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. Lower groups cost less to insure; UK fleet average is around Group 22.

Source: ABI Group Rating Panel · administered by Thatcham Research · groups cover standard variants; performance trims may sit higher. Browse all insurance groups →

26–44

out of 50

Compare quotes →

Top ten reasons for rejection.

Filter failures:

  1. 01

    A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn

    166 occurrences · 2.1% of tests

  2. 02

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    144 occurrences · 1.8% of tests

  3. 03

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    132 occurrences · 1.6% of tests

  4. 04

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    130 occurrences · 1.6% of tests

  5. 05

    A tyre seriously damaged

    109 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  6. 06

    The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements

    103 occurrences · 1.3% of tests

  7. 07

    Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction

    67 occurrences · 0.8% of tests

  8. 08

    A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened

    67 occurrences · 0.8% of tests

  9. 09

    A lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning

    62 occurrences · 0.8% of tests

  10. 10

    A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED

    61 occurrences · 0.8% of tests

Counts cover Major and Dangerous defects logged at test. Advisory items excluded so this shows why a car was rejected, not just what the tester flagged in passing.

Worst-case fix budget · top 3 failures

£220£495

If every one of this 216's most-logged Major fails hit at the same MOT, that's the real-world UK garage range. Reality is usually one or two items, not all of them. Open the estimator →

Try the calculator

Build your own retest budget.

Year-band analysis

Best year to buy. Worst to avoid.

First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 4.4-point gap between bands means the year you buy BMW 216 has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.

Best band to buy

86.5%

2018–2020 registration

the 2018–2020 band climbs to 86.5% — a 4.4-point improvement. Tests in this band average 50,920 miles — roughly 23K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: pin or bush excessively worn, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm — the structural issues that drag down older examples don't appear in the top-10 for this band. The stricter post-2018 MOT test rules meant manufacturers had to tighten up emissions and electrical checks, but this band still shows far fewer major failures on suspension and bodywork than the older fleet.

Band to be cautious about

82.1%

Pre-2018 registration

On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 82.1% pass rate against a fleet average of 86.5% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: pin or bush excessively worn, tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 74,223 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.

Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (86.5% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (82.1% pass). That's a 4.4-point spread across 7,940 older tests and 119 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.

Year-spread leaderboard →

Tools that pre-empt a retest.

Picked against this car's top failure patterns. Affiliate links to Amazon UK — we earn a small cut at no cost to you. Disclosed up-front, doesn't shape the data.

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Parts & supplies for this fix

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Click Mechanic · affiliate

Book a mobile mechanic

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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide

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Buying or keeping a 216?

Use the failure ranking as a pre-test checklist or a haggling lever. Treat the headline pass rate as a fleet-wide trend, not a guarantee on any individual car.

If you own a 216 and your last MOT looked nothing like the ranked failures above, that's normal — individual cars vary widely. The ranking shows the patterns testers flag most often across the country.