BMW 318D SE Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free BMW 318D SE car check
Is the BMW 318D SE reliable? We analysed 2,509 real MOT tests across 560 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific BMW 318D SE? Enter the reg for a free check:
The BMW 318D SE is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used BMW 318D SE.
BMW 318D SE Number Plates
Number plates registered to a BMW 318D SE. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
BMW 318D SE Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical BMW 318D SE owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
BMW 318D SE Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all BMW 318D 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 318D SE Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 318D SE THIS CAR | 80.0% | 2,509 | 118,192 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 |
| Daihatsu Domino | 65.6% | 1,140 | 51,268 mi | 40 yrs |
Compared to the BMW 3 Series (75.1% pass rate) and the BMW 118 (81.5% pass rate), the BMW 318D SE sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.
Found a BMW 318D 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 318D SEShould you buy a used BMW 318D SE?
The BMW 318D SE has an overall MOT pass rate of 80.0% across 2,509 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
A typical BMW 318D SE owner drives around 8,269 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.