BMW
33,249 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 435s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 11.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
88.6%
Pass-after-fix
1.7%
Fail
9.3%
Avg miles
69,027
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 · 33,241 tests
Pass rate climbs 1.4 points across the cohorts — newer 435 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
88.5%
Fail
9.5%
PRS
1.6%
Avg mileage at test
72,430 mi
Pass
89.8%
Fail
8.0%
PRS
1.9%
Avg mileage at test
45,493 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
The BMW 435 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 14,681 tests puts this car on an 86.4% first-time pass rate, well above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 61,234 miles. The most common fail item is damaged tyre sidewall or structure, followed by tyre with exposed cords.
For used buyers, the 435'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 →
36–48
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Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
615 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
480 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
A tyre cords visible or damaged
429 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
393 occurrences · 1.2% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
312 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage
255 occurrences · 0.8% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
197 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
137 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Any fracture or welding defect on a wheel
134 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm
133 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 435'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
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.4-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy BMW 435 makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
89.8%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 89.8% — a 1.4-point improvement. Tests in this band average 45,493 miles — roughly 27K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has a bulge, caused by separation or…, damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view — 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
88.5%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 88.5% pass rate against a fleet average of 89.8% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view, has a bulge, caused by separation or…, and has ply or cords exposed. Average mileage on test for this band is 72,430 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (89.8% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (88.5% pass). That's a 1.4-point spread across 29,055 older tests and 4,186 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 435 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.
