BMW X3 2008: MOT failure rate for its age
30.3% of 11,719 MOT tests of the BMW X3 first registered in 2008 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 96.3 (95% CI 93.1–99.4; 100 = normal for this model at that age): close to other build years of the same model at the same age (within 5 points of normal).
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 30.3 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 11719 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 93.1–99.4) | 96.3 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 11719 |
| Rank among this model's 17 build years | 6 | of 17 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 11719 |
| Tested in 2024 | 1469 | tests | median 119,584 miles | 2024 | 1469 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2008 BMW X3 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2008 were tested at ages 11 to 16 between 2019 and 2024. Each row compares their first-time failure share with what this model normally shows at that age, after allowing for the overall failure level of each test year.
| Age | Tests | Failed, % | 95% interval | Normal for this model at that age, % | Index (100 = normal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 2,349 | 28 | 26.2–29.9 | 29.8 | 93.9 |
| 12 | 2,119 | 29.4 | 27.5–31.4 | 29 | 101.4 |
| 13 | 2,087 | 30.7 | 28.8–32.7 | 30.5 | 100.6 |
| 14 | 1,977 | 31.3 | 29.3–33.4 | 32.6 | 96 |
| 15 | 1,718 | 31.5 | 29.3–33.7 | 33.8 | 93 |
| 16 | 1,469 | 31.5 | 29.2–33.9 | 34.3 | 91.8 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 11,719 (initial tests) · Method: normal rate = this model's first-time failure share at that age across its build years (cells of 400+ tests), adjusted for each test year's overall level; cells of 30+ tests, under 500 marked rough · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
What fails most on the 2008 BMW X3?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2008 is suspension: 13.6 items per 100 first tests, against 7.3 across all build years of the BMW X3. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2008 were tested at ages 11 to 16.
| Failure group | Built 2008, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 13.6 | 7.3 | 1,597 |
| Brakes | 13 | 6 | 1,528 |
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 12.8 | 8.7 | 1,501 |
| Visibility | 10.1 | 7 | 1,183 |
| Tyres | 8.6 | 8.5 | 1,012 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 11,719 (initial tests of this build year) · Method: failure items grouped by DVSA's top-level defect groups, per 100 initial tests; groups with 30+ items · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How does 2008 compare with the years around it?
Among the 17 published build years of the BMW X3, 2008 ranks 6 (1 = fails least for its age). 2007: index 102.7. 2009: index 96.8.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 101.0 | 98.7–103.3 | no different | 19,720 |
| 2005 | 103.4 | 101.2–105.7 | worse | 22,383 |
| 2006 | 99.8 | 97.7–101.8 | no different | 26,172 |
| 2007 | 102.7 | 100.1–105.2 | worse | 18,454 |
| 2008 | 96.3 | 93.1–99.4 | better | 11,719 |
| 2009 | 96.8 | 93.2–100.4 | no different | 9,583 |
| 2010 | 88.9 | 84.4–93.3 | better | 5,972 |
| 2011 | 92.2 | 89.9–94.5 | better | 25,503 |
| 2012 | 107.1 | 105.2–109.1 | worse | 42,021 |
| 2013 | 106.2 | 104.1–108.2 | worse | 43,616 |
| 2014 | 109.6 | 107.2–111.9 | worse | 37,128 |
| 2015 | 103.2 | 100.9–105.5 | worse | 42,481 |
| 2016 | 101.1 | 98.9–103.2 | no different | 55,126 |
| 2017 | 92.5 | 90.1–95.0 | better | 43,016 |
| 2018 | 86.9 | 84.1–89.8 | better | 33,119 |
| 2019 | 89.7 | 87.1–92.2 | better | 48,161 |
| 2020 | 105.2 | 100.1–110.3 | worse | 15,487 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 499,661 (initial tests) · Method: observed failures against those expected for the same model at the same ages, test-year level adjusted; verdict follows the printed one-decimal bound · Updated: 30 Sep 2026 · Release: dvsa-2024-v2 · CSV
How to cite this page
MOT Risk Index (2026). BMW X3 2008 MOT statistics (data release dvsa-2024-v2; full dataset motriskindex-families-2024-v5, DOI 10.5281/zenodo.22975051), updated 30 September 2026. motriskindex.co.uk/cars/bmw-x3/2008/
How every figure is calculated: methodology. Age, test year and build year are tied together (age = test year − build year), so the test-year level is taken as observed, not estimated.
Other pages for this model
BMW X3 2004 · BMW X3 2005 · BMW X3 2006 · BMW X3 2007 · BMW X3 2009 · BMW X3 2010 · BMW X3 2011 · BMW X3 2012 · BMW X3 2013 · BMW X3 2014 · BMW X3 2015 · BMW X3 2016 · BMW X3 2017 · BMW X3 2018 · BMW X3 2019 · BMW X3 2020 · BMW X3 in Norway · BMW X3 in Finland · BMW X3 in the Netherlands · BMW X3 by postcode area · BMW X3 body, chassis and structure failures · BMW X3 brakes failures · BMW X3 vehicle identification failures · BMW X3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW X3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW X3 road wheels failures · BMW X3 seat belts and airbags failures · BMW X3 steering failures · BMW X3 suspension failures · BMW X3 tyres failures · BMW X3 visibility failures