2012 BMW 640 MOT pass rate: 81.1% (2,877 tests)
Is the 2012 640 getting worse?
Pass rate of 2012-registered cars across recent test years:
| Test year | Pass rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 81.4% +9.1 vs same-age |
|
| 2024 | 80.7% +9.7 vs same-age |
|
| 2025 | 81.1% +10.8 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 2012 640
| # | System | Defects recorded | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 327 | 31.7% |
| 2 | Tyres | 301 | 29.2% |
| 3 | Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 102 | 9.9% |
| 4 | Visibility | 82 | 7.9% |
| 5 | Road Wheels | 65 | 6.3% |
| 6 | Brakes | 52 | 5.0% |
All 640 years compared
| Registration year | Tests | Pass rate | Vs same-age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 (this page) | 2,877 | 81.1% | +9.9 pts | 93,433 |
| 2013 | 3,718 | 82.4% | +9.0 pts | 90,035 |
| 2014 | 5,717 | 82.4% | +6.5 pts | 80,382 |
| 2015 | 5,654 | 84.9% | +6.1 pts | 73,758 |
| 2016 | 5,270 | 86.2% | +4.8 pts | 64,176 |
| 2017 | 3,065 | 84.6% | +0.6 pts | 54,414 |
| 2018 | 1,881 | 82.7% | -3.7 pts | 46,697 |
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FAQs
Is a 2012 BMW 640 reliable?
2012-registered examples passed 81.1% of their MOT tests (2,877 tests, 2023–2025), +9.9 points versus all UK cars registered in the same year. At roughly 14 years old with a median 93,433 miles, condition now varies car by car — always check the individual MOT history.
What mileage is too high for a 2012 640?
The median tested example shows 93,433 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.