BMW
30,874 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 430s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 10.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.3%
Pass-after-fix
1.6%
Fail
9.7%
Avg miles
66,110
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
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 .
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 30,801 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.6 points across the cohorts — newer 430 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
87.6%
Fail
10.1%
PRS
1.9%
Avg mileage at test
73,781 mi
Pass
90.3%
Fail
8.5%
PRS
1.0%
Avg mileage at test
43,054 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
The BMW 430 is a diesel-powered car sold in the UK market across multiple generations, covering a broad date range in the test population.
MOT data from 14,793 tests puts this car on an 86.7% first-time pass rate, well above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 57,939 miles. The most common fail item is damaged tyre sidewall or structure, followed by tyre with exposed cords.
For used buyers, the 430's pass rate suggests it clears the MOT with fewer surprises than most — but the top failure items above are still worth a pre-purchase inspection, particularly on higher-mileage examples.
ABI Insurance Group
A high-group car — insurance costs will be significantly above average. 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 →
32–44
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A tyre cords visible or damaged
591 occurrences · 1.9% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
509 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
427 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
426 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
396 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
181 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
172 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Wiper blade defective
136 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
115 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
110 occurrences · 0.4% 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 2 failures
£120–£190
If every one of this 430'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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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 2.6-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy BMW 430 makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
90.3%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 90.3% — a 2.6-point improvement. Tests in this band average 43,054 miles — roughly 31K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, has a cut in excess of the… — 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
87.6%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 87.6% pass rate against a fleet average of 90.3% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has ply or cords exposed, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 73,781 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (90.3% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (87.6% pass). That's a 2.6-point spread across 23,214 older tests and 7,587 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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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 430 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.
