2004 BMW 530 MOT pass rate: 73.7% (3,683 tests)
Is the 2004 530 getting worse?
Pass rate of 2004-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 72.6% +8.7 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 73.7% +9.6 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 75.6% +10.3 vs same-age |
The raw rate normally falls as cars age. The “vs same-age” figure compares this cohort with all UK cars registered in the same year, so normal ageing is not mistaken for a bad model year.
What fails on a 2004 530
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 895 | 26.6% |
| 2 | Brakes | 678 | 20.1% |
| 3 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 627 | 18.6% |
| 4 | Tyres | 320 | 9.5% |
| 5 | Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 235 | 7.0% |
| 6 | Steering | 184 | 5.5% |
All 530 years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,809 | 72.4% | +5.8 pts | 143,046 |
| 2002 | 3,083 | 72.6% | +6.9 pts | 147,880 |
| 2003 | 3,461 | 72.0% | +7.0 pts | 144,521 |
| 2004 (this page) | 3,683 | 73.7% | +9.4 pts | 149,396 |
| 2005 | 4,160 | 73.5% | +9.0 pts | 157,550 |
| 2006 | 4,644 | 75.1% | +10.6 pts | 157,419 |
| 2007 | 4,742 | 77.0% | +11.9 pts | 153,166 |
| 2008 | 3,705 | 79.1% | +14.0 pts | 145,403 |
| 2009 | 3,269 | 79.5% | +13.1 pts | 138,507 |
| 2010 | 6,174 | 78.3% | +10.9 pts | 126,830 |
| 2011 | 4,356 | 79.8% | +10.6 pts | 123,460 |
| 2012 | 2,922 | 80.4% | +9.2 pts | 115,217 |
| 2013 | 2,338 | 84.4% | +11.1 pts | 110,408 |
| 2014 | 5,359 | 86.3% | +10.5 pts | 96,968 |
| 2015 | 5,610 | 87.3% | +8.6 pts | 86,468 |
| 2016 | 4,673 | 88.4% | +7.0 pts | 76,104 |
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FAQs
Is a 2004 BMW 530 reliable?
2004-registered examples passed 73.7% of their MOT tests (3,683 tests, 2023–2025), +9.4 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 22 years old with a median 149,396 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2004 530?
The median tested example shows 149,396 miles. Anything far beyond that isn't automatically bad — a motorway-mile car with consistent service records often beats a low-mileage school-run car — but price accordingly and scrutinise the mileage trail for gaps or drops.
Source: DVSA Anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023–2025 extracts (96 million Class 4 initial tests; retests excluded). Only vehicles old enough for a routine first MOT are included. Age-adjusted figures compare the model-year cohort with all vehicles of the same registration year tested in the same calendar year. Contains public sector information licensed under OGL v3.0.