BMW
218i Luxury Auto
1,472 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 218i Luxury Autos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.0 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.5%
Pass-after-fix
2.7%
Fail
8.4%
Avg miles
31,117
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars first registered from January 2006 meet Euro 4 — compliant in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, Bristol CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ.
The picture
218i Luxury Auto: a strong MOT record by UK norms
Across 933 MOT tests, the 218i Luxury Auto returns 88.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A tyre with the cords showing and a defective wiper blade round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 25,365, 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
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A tyre seriously damaged
29 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 02
Wiper blade defective
17 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
- 03
A tyre cords visible or damaged
14 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 04
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
12 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
- 05
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
9 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 06
Stop lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
9 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
- 07
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 08
A tyre seriously damaged
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 09
A lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
- 10
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
5 occurrences · 0.3% 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
£160–£300
If every one of this 218i Luxury Auto'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 →
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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.
Item 01 · Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin wiper blades
Cheap wipers fail the test on smear streaks. Bosch Aerotwins last a winter and clear a screen properly.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · Amazon UK
Digital tyre-tread depth gauge
Five quid for a gauge beats £150 for a retest. UK MOT minimum is 1.6mm — most testers fail anything below 2mm to be safe.
Search Amazon UK
Item 03 · Amazon UK
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
My Motor World · affiliate
Parts & supplies for this fix
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
Summit
Summit ADRG-640 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£10.99
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-904 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass RHS
£10.99
View at My Motor World →
Summit
Summit ADRG-905 BMW Replacement Stick-On Tinted Mirror Glass LHS
£10.99
View at My Motor World →
Draper Expert
Draper Expert Oil Filter Socket for Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and VW
£18.69
View at My Motor World →
Click Mechanic · affiliate
Book a mobile mechanic
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Mobile mechanic · UK-wide
Book a mechanic at your door.
Fixed-price quotes upfront. No garage needed. Click Mechanic sends a vetted local mechanic to you — home, work, or roadside.
Buying or keeping a 218i Luxury Auto?
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 218i Luxury Auto 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.