BMW
535
18,552 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 535s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 7.4 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
84.9%
Pass-after-fix
3.0%
Fail
11.6%
Avg miles
117,633
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 .
The picture
BMW 535: solid MOT record across 10,055 tests
The BMW 535 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 10,055 tests puts this car on a 81.9% first-time pass rate, above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 113,058 miles. The most common fail item is cracked or discoloured windscreen, followed by tyre tread below the legal limit.
Buyers weighing up a used 535 should treat the failure breakdown as a pre-purchase checklist. The pass rate is reasonable, but the gap between first attempt and a clean sheet narrows with age and mileage.
ABI Insurance Group
Group 38–48
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 →
38–48
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
546 occurrences · 2.9% of tests
- 02
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
302 occurrences · 1.6% of tests
- 03
A tyre cords visible or damaged
268 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 04
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
190 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 05
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
185 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
- 06
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
164 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 07
A transmission shaft constant velocity joint boot severely deteriorated
162 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 08
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
160 occurrences · 0.9% of tests
- 09
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
126 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
- 10
A tyre seriously damaged
126 occurrences · 0.7% 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 4 failures
£210–£510
If every one of this 535'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.
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
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
Headlight restoration kit
Yellowed lenses fail the light-output test. A restoration kit lifts the haze in an afternoon for £20.
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
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 535?
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 535 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.