MOT cost .
BMW 1 Series
MOT 2023
Wikimedia

BMW

1 Series

96,352 MOT tests analysed. sits above the UK fleet average — here's where 1 Seriess pass, fail, and end up on the retest sheet.

That's 5.6 points above the UK fleet average across our 1,988 tracked models — a confident result.

Pass

81.3%

Pass-after-fix

3.6%

Fail

14.5%

Avg miles

70,607

Pass + Pass-after-fix + Fail = 100%

The picture

1 Series: above-average pass rates, with caveats

Across 96,352 MOT tests, the 1 Series returns 81.3% first-time pass — above the UK fleet average. The single most-logged Major fail is tyre tread under the limit. Windscreen damage and shock absorber damaged to the extent round out the top three. Average tested mileage sits at 70,607, 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.

Top ten reasons for rejection.

  1. 01

    Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements

    2,815 occurrences · 2.9% of tests

  2. 02

    Windscreen or window damaged or seriously discoloured but not adversely affecting driver's view

    2,575 occurrences · 2.7% of tests

  3. 03

    A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage

    1,682 occurrences · 1.7% of tests

  4. 04

    a brake lining or pad worn below 1.5mm

    1,450 occurrences · 1.5% of tests

  5. 05

    A tyre seriously damaged

    1,410 occurrences · 1.5% of tests

  6. 06

    A tyre cords visible or damaged

    1,396 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  7. 07

    A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning

    1,369 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  8. 08

    A tyre seriously damaged

    1,337 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  9. 09

    A rear registration plate lamp or light source missing or inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources

    1,302 occurrences · 1.4% of tests

  10. 10

    Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen

    1,072 occurrences · 1.1% 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 2 failures

£140–£255

If every one of this 1 Series'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.

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

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

Buying or keeping a 1 Series?

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 1 Series 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.