BMW 116I SE Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free BMW 116I SE car check
Is the BMW 116I SE reliable? We analysed 1,003 real MOT tests across 196 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific BMW 116I SE? Enter the reg for a free check:
The BMW 116I SE is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used BMW 116I SE.
BMW 116I SE Number Plates
Number plates registered to a BMW 116I SE. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
BMW 116I SE Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical BMW 116I SE owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
BMW 116I SE Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all BMW 116I SE MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
How Does the BMW 116I SE Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 116I SE THIS CAR | 81.0% | 1,003 | 92,713 mi | — yrs |
| BMW 3 Series | 75.1% | 12,840,406 | 90,743 mi | 37 yrs |
| BMW 118 | 81.5% | 1,923,256 | 64,042 mi | 22 yrs |
| BMW X5 | 77% | 1,735,343 | 83,401 mi | 25 yrs |
| Honda Beat | 78.6% | 1,958 | 90,416 mi | 35 yrs |
Compared to the BMW 3 Series (75.1% pass rate) and the BMW 118 (81.5% pass rate), the BMW 116I SE sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.
Found a BMW 116I SE you like?
Run a full vehicle history check on the specific car. See finance, stolen, write-off, mileage and MOT data for that exact vehicle.
Check a specific BMW 116I SEShould you buy a used BMW 116I SE?
The BMW 116I SE has an overall MOT pass rate of 81.0% across 1,003 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
A typical BMW 116I SE owner drives around 5,121 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.
Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.