BMW
728
1,929 MOT tests analysed. lands in the middle of the pack — here's where 728s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 1.1 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
78.6%
Pass-after-fix
3.5%
Fail
16.8%
Avg miles
132,851
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Petrol cars registered before January 2006 are typically pre-Euro 4 — subject to daily charges in London ULEZ, Birmingham CAZ, and Glasgow LEZ. Bristol CAZ does not charge petrol cars. Daily charges if driven in the zone: London £12.50 · Birmingham £8.00 .
The picture
728: middle-of-the-pack on first-time pass
Across 965 MOT tests, the 728 returns 75.3% first-time pass — roughly in line with the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a torn suspension dust cover. Worn suspension bushes and windscreen damage round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 132,661, 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 26–44
Above average — worth comparing quotes before buying. 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 →
26–44
out of 50
Top ten reasons for rejection.
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- 01
A suspension joint dust cover severely deteriorated
90 occurrences · 4.7% of tests
- 02
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
62 occurrences · 3.2% of tests
- 03
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
51 occurrences · 2.6% of tests
- 04
Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
40 occurrences · 2.1% of tests
- 05
A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc
39 occurrences · 2.0% of tests
- 06
A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources
33 occurrences · 1.7% of tests
- 07
The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any seat belt anchorage (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired
28 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 08
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
28 occurrences · 1.5% of tests
- 09
A tyre cords visible or damaged
27 occurrences · 1.4% of tests
- 10
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
27 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 4 failures
£280–£810
If every one of this 728'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.
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Buying or keeping a 728?
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 728 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.