GetFreeCarCheck
Check a car free

Free checks

Full history · from £4.99

Research

Full Check £9.99 · 3 Full Checks £14.99 · Finance & Stolen Check £4.99

Luxury car · 1996–2021 cars

BMW 7 Series reliability

The BMW 7 Series fails 15.9% of first MOT tests, 47% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 71,877 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.

Better than averageReliability score 92/100#6 of 14 luxury cars

Checking a BMW 7 Series before you buy?

first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
15.9%
first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
fails than cars of the same age and mileage
47% fewer
fails than cars of the same age and mileage
MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
71,877
MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
typical miles a year, from MOT readings
10,300
typical miles a year, from MOT readings

MOT fail rate by age

How the BMW 7 Series ages

Each point is the share of BMW 7 Seriess of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.

0%12.5%25%37.5%50%3691215182124Age at MOT (years)
BMW 7 SeriesAll cars
BMW 7 Series first-time MOT fail rate by age
Age at MOT (years)BMW 7 SeriesAll cars
36.6%12.3%
47.2%14.1%
58.3%16.4%
69.4%19.1%
710.5%22.1%
813.7%25.5%
916%28.8%
1017.3%31.8%
1120.1%34.6%
1217.3%37.3%
1321.2%39.5%
1421.6%41.1%
1527.1%42.3%
1627.2%42.9%
1728.8%43.4%
1826.4%43.5%
1929.4%43.4%
2023.5%42.8%
2126.8%41.4%
2226.3%40.6%
2323.6%38.9%
2426.4%37.1%
2525.4%35.8%

By year

The best and worst BMW 7 Series years

2020 cars come out best and 1998 cars worst, once age and mileage are taken into account.

BMW 7 Series MOT results by year of first registration
First registeredTestsFail rateAgainst same-age carsTypical mileage
20219894.3%67% fewer fails29,892
2020 7 Series2,9585.5%61% fewer fails36,200
2019 7 Series6,5196.9%56% fewer fails41,866
2018 7 Series7,0617.6%57% fewer fails48,758
2017 7 Series7,05710%50% fewer fails58,880
2016 7 Series6,7379.2%60% fewer fails67,945
2015 7 Series3,03114.3%45% fewer fails77,175
2014 7 Series3,67515.5%48% fewer fails87,763
2013 7 Series2,98918.9%43% fewer fails95,146
2012 7 Series3,46216.4%55% fewer fails105,367
2011 7 Series3,41520.1%48% fewer fails113,426
2010 7 Series2,71917.8%56% fewer fails119,610
2009 7 Series2,15119.9%53% fewer fails121,219
2008 7 Series2,51827%38% fewer fails129,745
2007 7 Series2,33825.9%42% fewer fails134,672
2006 7 Series3,50128.3%37% fewer fails134,622
2005 7 Series2,12028.4%37% fewer fails130,502
2004 7 Series1,28028.5%36% fewer fails127,680
2003 7 Series1,26925.8%42% fewer fails131,537
200271726.6%37% fewer fails108,456
2001 7 Series1,20024.7%43% fewer fails130,576
2000 7 Series1,30925.2%39% fewer fails121,310
1999 7 Series1,28925.1%38% fewer fails128,742
1998 7 Series1,07527.4%30% fewer fails126,629
199740029.8%23% fewer fails125,671

Common problems

What fails most on a BMW 7 Series

Its weak spot is wheels: 154% more fails there than cars of the same age and mileage.

Fail rate by area

  • Tyres4.9%25% below avg
  • Suspension4.8%50% below avg
  • Lights and electrics3.8%70% below avg
  • Brakes2.9%62% below avg
  • Windscreen, wipers and mirrors2.3%53% below avg
  • Exhaust, emissions and leaks1.6%58% below avg
  • Seat belts and airbags1.3%8% below avg
  • Wheels1.1%154% above avg
  • Body, chassis and structure0.9%78% below avg

Average for cars of the same age and mileage

Top MOT failures

  1. 1

    Coil spring fractured or broken 1.22% of tests

    A broken coil spring can leave the car sitting low or unstable, so it must be replaced before driving.

  2. 2

    Tyre tread below 1.6mm 1.17% of tests

    Tread below 1.6mm is illegal and reduces grip in wet conditions, so the tyre must be replaced.

  3. 3

    Suspension arm pin/bush excessively worn 1.09% of tests

    Worn suspension arm bushes allow the wheel to move unpredictably, affecting steering, handling and tyre wear.

  4. 4

    Tyre ply or cords exposed 1.02% of tests

    Exposed ply or cords can let the tyre fail suddenly, so the tyre must be replaced before the car is driven.

  5. 5

    Suspension ball joint excessively worn 1.02% of tests

    A worn ball joint can fail and cause loss of steering control, so it must be replaced promptly.

  6. 6

    Airbag warning lamp shows fault 0.87% of tests

    A lit airbag warning means the airbag system may not deploy in a crash, so it needs diagnosing and repairing.

  7. 7

    Tyre cut reaching ply or cords 0.85% of tests

    A cut reaching the ply or cords weakens the tyre and can cause a burst, so it must be replaced.

  8. 8

    Position lamp not working 0.76% of tests

    A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.

Most common advisories

Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a BMW 7 Series's MOT certificate most often.

  • Tyre worn close to legal limit10.46%
  • Engine oil leak, not excessive6.3%
  • Suspension arm pin/bush showing wear4.25%
  • Brake pads wearing thin3.46%
  • Brake disc pitted or scored2.99%
  • Brake pipes corroded and greasy2.66%

Before you buy

What to check on a used BMW 7 Series

  1. 1

    Coil spring fractured or broken

    A broken coil spring can leave the car sitting low or unstable, so it must be replaced before driving.

  2. 2

    Tyre tread below 1.6mm

    Tread below 1.6mm is illegal and reduces grip in wet conditions, so the tyre must be replaced.

  3. 3

    Suspension arm pin/bush excessively worn

    Worn suspension arm bushes allow the wheel to move unpredictably, affecting steering, handling and tyre wear.

  4. 4

    Tyre ply or cords exposed

    Exposed ply or cords can let the tyre fail suddenly, so the tyre must be replaced before the car is driven.

  5. 5

    Every MOT since new

    Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.

  6. 6

    The mileage record

    A typical BMW 7 Series covers about 10,300 miles a year. A big gap or a drop between MOTs is a warning sign.

  7. 7

    Finance, stolen and write-off

    The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.

Fuel types tested

  • Diesel72.8%
  • Petrol21.2%
  • Hybrid5.9%
  • LPG0.1%
  • Other0%

Most common colours

Black, Grey, Silver, Blue, White

Average engine size: 3.2 litres.

Compare

How the BMW 7 Series compares with its rivals

BMW 7 Series against similar models
ModelFail rateAgainst same-age cars
Bentley Continental7.4%70% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Audi A813.2%58% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Porsche Panamera10%58% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
BMW 7 Series15.9%47% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Mercedes-Benz S-Class15.8%46% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
Jaguar XJ22.6%35% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age
BMW 8 Series10.9%28% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age

Every luxury car ranked in the luxury car reliability index, or all BMW models.

Questions

BMW 7 Series questions, answered

Is the BMW 7 Series reliable?

On MOT results, the BMW 7 Series is better than average: it fails 15.9% of first MOT tests, 47% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 6 of 14 luxury car models in our index.

What fails most on a BMW 7 Series MOT?

The most common MOT failures on the BMW 7 Series are coil spring fractured or broken (1.22% of tests), tyre tread below 1.6mm (1.17% of tests), suspension arm pin/bush excessively worn (1.09% of tests). By area, tyres fails 4.9% of its tests.

Which BMW 7 Series year is the most reliable?

Among years with 1,000+ tests, 2020 cars do best (61% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age) and 1998 cars do worst (30% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age).

How many miles does a BMW 7 Series do a year?

A typical BMW 7 Series covers about 10,300 miles a year, from the mileage recorded at its MOTs. Check the car you're looking at against that with a free mileage check.

How do I check a BMW 7 Series before I buy it?

Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.

Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.

Found a BMW 7 Series? Check it free.

MOT history, mileage record, ULEZ, tax and recalls on any UK car, in seconds. No sign-up, no card.