BMW
3,575 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where F 800s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 15.3 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
92.8%
Pass-after-fix
2.7%
Fail
4.3%
Avg miles
17,311
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 · 3,574 tests
Pass rate climbs 2.6 points across the cohorts — newer F 800 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
92.3%
Fail
4.8%
PRS
2.6%
Avg mileage at test
18,756 mi
Pass
94.9%
Fail
2.1%
PRS
2.8%
Avg mileage at test
10,838 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
Across 2,643 MOT tests, the F 800 returns 93.0% first-time pass — comfortably ahead of the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is a non-functioning shock absorber. Stiff steering bearings and uneven braking force round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 16,118, 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
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
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A shock absorber not functioning or leaking severely
26 occurrences · 0.7% of tests
Steering head bearings excessively stiff, notchy, or with excessive wear or play
19 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
Brake lining or pad worn below 1.0mm
16 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Excessive fluctuation in brake effort through each wheel revolution
15 occurrences · 0.4% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
10 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A shock absorber bush excessively worn
6 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
6 occurrences · 0.2% of tests
A stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released
5 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
4 occurrences · 0.1% of tests
Headlamp reflector or lens slightly defective
4 occurrences · 0.1% 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
£230–£445
If every one of this F 800'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 2.6-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy BMW F 800 makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
94.9%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 94.9% — a 2.6-point improvement. Tests in this band average 10,838 miles — roughly 8K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: indicates excessive fluctuation of brake effort, has a serious fluid leak — 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
92.3%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 92.3% pass rate against a fleet average of 94.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has a serious fluid leak, excessively stiff or notchy, and less than 1.0 mm thick. Average mileage on test for this band is 18,756 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (94.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (92.3% pass). That's a 2.6-point spread across 2,923 older tests and 651 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
Brake pad measurement gauge
Testers fail pads under 1.5mm. A wear gauge tells you if you've got two months left or two weeks.
Search Amazon UK
Item 02 · 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
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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 F 800 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.
