2021 · 3 years old at test · Petrol mostly

2021 BMW Z4 MOT pass rate and common faults

1,000 MOT tests in 2024. 90.4% passed first time, compared with 87.6% for all cars the same age.

103Above average
Passed first time90.4%
Failed or needed repairs9.6%
Typical mileage at test17,000

Most common reasons for failing

Share of all 1,000 tests where this item caused a failure.

  1. Tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed3.6%
    66 marked dangerous
  2. Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.5%
  3. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm1.9%
    30 marked dangerous
  4. Headlamp aim: too high0.8%
  5. Registration plates: does not conform to the specified requirements0.7%
  6. Side repeaters: not working0.3%
  7. Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt0.2%
  8. Tyres - condition: has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure0.2%
    2 marked dangerous
  9. Road Wheels - condition: fractured0.2%
    4 marked dangerous

Problem areas

Failure items found per 100 tests, by part of the car.

  1. Tyres8.5%
  2. Lights & electrics1.2%
  3. Number plates & VIN0.8%
  4. Suspension0.4%
  5. Wheels0.4%
  6. Visibility (wipers, screen, mirrors)0.4%
  7. Emissions & leaks0.2%
  8. Brakes0.1%

Most common advisories

Not failures yet, but things the tester warned about.

  1. Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm10.8%
  2. Non-component advisories: Nail in tyre4.5%
  3. Tyres - condition: has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure2.9%
  4. Tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords2.5%
  5. Tread depth: tread pattern not visible over the whole tread area when minimum depth required is 1.0mm1.5%

What this means if you are buying one

This model year does better than most cars its age, so it is a reasonable used buy on MOT record alone. Before buying, check the area that fails most: tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed. Then look up the car's own MOT history on GOV.UK with its number plate, and look for repeat advisories.

← 2020 Z4All Z4 years

Questions

What is the MOT pass rate for a 2021 BMW Z4?

In 2024, 90.4% of 2021 BMW Z4 cars passed their MOT first time, across 1,000 tests. The average for all 3-year-old cars was 87.6%.

What are the most common MOT failures on a 2021 BMW Z4?

The most common failure reasons were tyres - condition: has ply or cords exposed; tyres - condition: has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords; tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm. The biggest problem area was tyres.

Is the 2021 BMW Z4 reliable at MOT time?

Its MOT Rank score is 103, which is above average for a car of its age (100 means exactly average).