BMW F850 Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults
Free BMW F850 car check
Is the BMW F850 reliable? We analysed 3,534 real MOT tests across 912 vehicles to find out.
Got a specific BMW F850? Enter the reg for a free check:
The BMW F850 is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used BMW F850.
BMW F850 Number Plates
Number plates registered to a BMW F850. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.
BMW F850 MOT Pass Rate by Year
How likely is a BMW F850 to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.
BMW F850 Common Faults & Problems
These are the most common serious faults found on BMW F850 models during MOT testing — flagged as dangerous or major failures that need immediate attention.
BMW F850 Mileage — What's Normal?
How many miles does a typical BMW F850 owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.
BMW F850 MOT Data by Registration Year
Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the BMW F850 year you're looking at.
| Year | Tests | Pass Rate | Low Mi. | Typical Mi. | High Mi. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 680 | 95.7% | 4,664 | 7,845 | 11,767 |
| 2019 | 1,976 | 95.7% | 5,731 | 9,406 | 14,542 |
| 2018 | 754 | 93.4% | 6,018 | 9,112 | 14,390 |
How Long Does a BMW F850 Last?
Based on 912 BMW F850 vehicles on UK roads.
BMW F850 Mileage Distribution
Total mileage recorded across all BMW F850 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 F850
Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.
95.7% MOT pass rate from 1,976 tests
93.4% MOT pass rate from 754 tests
The best year to buy a used BMW F850 is 2019, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 95.7% across 1,976 tests. The 2018 model year has the lowest pass rate at 93.4% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.
How Does the BMW F850 Compare?
MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.
| Model | Pass Rate | Tests | Typical Mileage | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW F850 THIS CAR | 95.2% | 3,534 | 8,958 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 |
| Lexmoto Ht 125-8 Vixen | 70.8% | 2,575 | 8,977 mi | 16 yrs |
Compared to the BMW 3 Series (75.1% pass rate) and the BMW 118 (81.5% pass rate), the BMW F850 outperforms both on MOT reliability.
Found a BMW F850 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 F850Should you buy a used BMW F850?
The BMW F850 has an overall MOT pass rate of 95.2% across 3,534 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 brake pad(s) less than 1.0 mm thick. Dangerous faults cause an immediate MOT failure and mean the vehicle is not roadworthy until repaired. If you're viewing a BMW F850 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 F850 owner drives around 1,511 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.