Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0
BMW
1,686 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 430i M Sport Autos pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 14.8 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
92.3%
Pass-after-fix
1.2%
Fail
6.2%
Avg miles
23,612
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.
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 1,686 tests
Pass rate drops 3.1 points across the cohorts — recent 430i M Sport Auto examples are doing worse than the early cars at the same tested age.
Pass
95.2%
Fail
1.6%
PRS
3.2%
Avg mileage at test
25,442 mi
Pass
92.1%
Fail
6.6%
PRS
1.0%
Avg mileage at test
23,465 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 1,686 MOT tests, the 430i M Sport Auto returns 92.3% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a seriously damaged tyre. A seriously damaged tyre and tyre tread under the limit round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 23,612, 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.
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A tyre seriously damaged
33 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
30 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
20 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
11 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Wiper blade defective
7 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
7 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
5 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
3 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
3 occurrences · 0.2% 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
£80–£140
If every one of this 430i M Sport 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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Build your own retest budget.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 3.1-point gap between bands means the year you buy BMW 430i M Sport Auto has a real effect on what turns up at the garage.
Best band to buy
95.2%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 95.2% — a 3.1-point improvement. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, 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.
Band to be cautious about
92.1%
2021+ registration
On the 2021-on band, the data shows a 92.1% pass rate against a fleet average of 95.2% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a bulge, caused by separation or…, has a cut in excess of the…, and tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Average mileage on test for this band is 23,465 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (95.2% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: 2021+ (92.1% pass). That's a 3.1-point spread across 1,561 older tests and 125 newer ones — year of build makes a material difference on this model.
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
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 02 · 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
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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 430i M Sport 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.