BMW
528
4,563 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where 528s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's in line with the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models.
Pass
77.5%
Pass-after-fix
3.9%
Fail
17.4%
Avg miles
105,627
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
This model's production run straddles the January 2006 Euro 4 cutoff. Individual cars vary — check your registration plate on the government's ULEZ checker. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
528: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 2,445 MOT tests, the 528 returns 75.4% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is windscreen damage. A broken or weak spring and a defective headlamp lens round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 100,079, 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 34–46
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 →
34–46
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
Filter failures:
Hide categories
Tick a category to hide it from rankings sitewide. Saved in this browser only.
- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
131 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 02
Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement
84 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 03
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
83 occurrences · 1.8% of tests
- 04
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
75 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 05
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
71 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 06
Steering rack gaiter or ball joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
70 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 07
The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements
70 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 08
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
66 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 09
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
64 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 10
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
64 occurrences · 1.4% 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 3 failures
£168–£515
If every one of this 528'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.
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.
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
Affiliate links — small commission, no extra cost to you.
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 528?
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 528 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.