BMW 745 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free BMW 745 car check
Is the BMW 745 reliable? We analysed 22,701 real MOT tests across 1,670 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific BMW 745? Enter the reg for a free check:
The BMW 745 is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint and position lamp(s) not working. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used BMW 745.
BMW 745 Number Plates
Number plates registered to a BMW 745. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
BMW 745 MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a BMW 745 to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
BMW 745 Problems — What Goes Wrong?
The most common reasons a BMW 745 fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.
BMW 745 Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical BMW 745 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
BMW 745 MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the BMW 745 year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 50 | 84.0% | 81,020 | 108,600 | 124,884 |
| 2005 | 404 | 78.7% | 58,007 | 90,830 | 131,747 |
| 2004 | 2,617 | 77.3% | 58,003 | 84,454 | 115,603 |
| 2003 | 6,502 | 77.8% | 58,352 | 87,820 | 117,180 |
| 2002 | 12,870 | 77.1% | 61,437 | 87,962 | 114,754 |
How Long Does a BMW 745 Last?
Based on 1,670 BMW 745 vehicles on UK roads.
BMW 745 Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all BMW 745 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 745
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
84.0% MOT pass rate from 50 tests
77.1% MOT pass rate from 12,870 tests
The best year to buy a used BMW 745 is 2006, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 84.0% across 50 tests. The 2002 model year has the lowest pass rate at 77.1% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the BMW 745 Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW 745 THIS CAR | 77.4% | 22,701 | 87,423 mi | 24 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 |
| Great Wall Steed | 72.8% | 8,467 | 52,696 mi | 13 yrs |
Compared to the BMW 3 Series (75.1% pass rate) and the BMW 118 (81.5% pass rate), the BMW 745 sits in the middle of the pack on MOT reliability.
Found a BMW 745 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 745Should you buy a used BMW 745?
The BMW 745 has an overall MOT pass rate of 77.4% across 22,701 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.
The most common problems on the BMW 745 are tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (841 recorded failures), suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (607), and position lamp(s) not working (411). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.
A typical BMW 745 owner drives around 5,928 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.
In terms of longevity, most BMW 745 models stay on UK roads for around 24 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.
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.