BMW
37,947 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where M4s pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.
That's 13.7 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,984 tracked models — a confident result.
Pass
91.2%
Pass-after-fix
1.2%
Fail
7.1%
Avg miles
42,984
Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%
Trim variants
Performance by cohort
2 year bands · 37,912 tests
Pass rate climbs 1.1 points across the cohorts — newer M4 examples clear the test more reliably than the early cars.
Pass
90.8%
Fail
7.4%
PRS
1.3%
Avg mileage at test
49,718 mi
Pass
91.9%
Fail
6.6%
PRS
1.1%
Avg mileage at test
30,795 mi
Cohort = vehicle's first-registration year band. Same model, different generations of build.
The picture
The BMW M4 is a high-performance version of the BMW 4 Series automobile developed by BMW's motorsport division, BMW M GmbH, that has been built since 2014.
MOT data from 12,961 tests puts this car on an 87.7% first-time pass rate, well above the UK fleet average. Average mileage at test is 37,075 miles. The most common fail item is tyre with exposed cords, followed by damaged tyre sidewall or structure.
The long history of impressive high performance coupes continues with the latest iteration of the BMW M4. Staggeringly fast with pin-sharp handling, the BMW M4 still manages to be usable and comfortable enough to use regularly, with only the painful price tag counting against it.
For used buyers, the M4'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 →
46–50
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A tyre cords visible or damaged
929 occurrences · 2.4% of tests
A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
490 occurrences · 1.3% of tests
Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view
407 occurrences · 1.1% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
375 occurrences · 1.0% of tests
Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements
209 occurrences · 0.6% of tests
Number plate does not conform to the specified requirements
182 occurrences · 0.5% of tests
A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn
111 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Wiper blade defective
101 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
A tyre seriously damaged
99 occurrences · 0.3% of tests
Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen
95 occurrences · 0.3% 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
£200–£430
If every one of this M4'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.
Year-band analysis
First-time MOT pass rate split by registration band. A 1.1-point gap between bands is modest — the year you buy BMW M4 makes a small but real difference to MOT outcomes.
Best band to buy
91.9%
2018–2020 registration
the 2018–2020 band climbs to 91.9% — a 1.1-point improvement. Tests in this band average 30,795 miles — roughly 19K miles fewer on the clock than the older band. Failures here are mostly wear items: has ply or cords exposed, has a cut in excess of the… — 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
90.8%
Pre-2018 registration
On the older band (pre-2018), the data shows a 90.8% pass rate against a fleet average of 91.9% on the newer band. The main culprits logged at test: has ply or cords exposed, fractured or broken, and damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view. Average mileage on test for this band is 49,718 miles — high-mileage wear items are a recurring theme.
Best band to buy: 2018-2020 (91.9% first-time pass). Worst band to avoid: pre-2018 (90.8% pass). That's a 1.1-point spread across 24,460 older tests and 13,452 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.
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Owner reports · Honest John
Verbatim faults logged by owners on honestjohn.co.uk over recent years. We didn't summarise — these are the words people typed in.
What's good
The long history of impressive high performance coupes continues with the latest iteration of the BMW M4. Staggeringly fast with pin-sharp handling, the BMW M4 still manages to be usable and comfortable enough to use regularly, with only the painful price tag counting against it.
Where it falls short
Expensive to buy and run. Less exciting at lower speeds. Divisive looks.
Recall history
The M4 has 6 official UK vehicle recalls covering defect details, remedies, and affected build dates.
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 an M4 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.
