BMW 218I SE Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free BMW 218I SE car check
Is the BMW 218I SE reliable? We analysed 10,523 real MOT tests across 2,102 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific BMW 218I SE? Enter the reg for a free check:
The BMW 218I SE is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used BMW 218I SE.
BMW 218I SE Number Plates
Number plates registered to a BMW 218I SE. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
BMW 218I SE MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a BMW 218I SE to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
BMW 218I SE Common Faults & Problems
These are the most common serious faults found on BMW 218I SE models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.
BMW 218I SE Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical BMW 218I SE owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
BMW 218I SE MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the BMW 218I SE year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 97 | 89.7% | 18,981 | 28,615 | 43,294 |
| 2020 | 1,090 | 89.9% | 19,123 | 28,664 | 40,692 |
| 2019 | 5,965 | 86.8% | 22,532 | 34,249 | 48,014 |
| 2018 | 2,963 | 87.3% | 21,575 | 33,181 | 47,363 |
How Long Does a BMW 218I SE Last?
Based on 2,102 BMW 218I SE vehicles on UK roads.
BMW 218I SE Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all BMW 218I SE MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.
Best Year to Buy a Used BMW 218I SE
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
89.9% MOT pass rate from 1,090 tests
86.8% MOT pass rate from 5,965 tests
The best year to buy a used BMW 218I SE is 2020, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 89.9% across 1,090 tests. The 2019 model year has the lowest pass rate at 86.8% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the BMW 218I SE Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 218I SE THIS CAR | 87.5% | 10,523 | 33,468 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 |
| Rolls Royce Phantom | 93.4% | 14,291 | 29,293 mi | 55 yrs |
Compared to the BMW 3 Series (75.1% pass rate) and the BMW 118 (81.5% pass rate), the BMW 218I SE outperforms both on MOT reliability.
Found a BMW 218I 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 218I SEShould you buy a used BMW 218I SE?
The BMW 218I SE has an overall MOT pass rate of 87.5% across 10,523 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
On the safety side, the most frequently flagged dangerous fault is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a BMW 218I SE with an expired or recently passed MOT, ask the seller whether any dangerous faults were found and fixed during the last test.
A typical BMW 218I SE owner drives around 7,224 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.