BMW Z3 2001: MOT failure rate for its age
32.6% of 10,182 MOT tests of the BMW Z3 first registered in 2001 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 93.9 (95% CI 90.7–97.1; 100 = normal for this model at that age): the 2001 BMW Z3 fails less often than other build years of the same model at the same age.
| Measure | Value | Unit | Compared with | Years | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Failed first time | 32.6 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 10182 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 90.7–97.1) | 93.9 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 10182 |
| Rank among this model's 6 build years | 3 | of 6 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 10182 |
| Tested in 2024 | 1756 | tests | median 79,901 miles | 2024 | 1756 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2001 BMW Z3 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2001 were tested at ages 18 to 22 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 2,320 | 35.6 | 33.7–37.6 | 37.1 | 95.9 |
| 19 | 1,909 | 31.3 | 29.2–33.4 | 34.8 | 89.9 |
| 20 | 2,112 | 33.9 | 32–36 | 34.7 | 97.8 |
| 21 | 1,959 | 30.5 | 28.5–32.5 | 33.6 | 90.6 |
| 22 | 1,882 | 30.7 | 28.7–32.8 | 32.5 | 94.4 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 10,182 (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 2001 BMW Z3?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2001 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 21.9 items per 100 first tests, against 22.7 across all build years of the BMW Z3. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2001 were tested at ages 18 to 22.
| Failure group | Built 2001, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 21.9 | 22.7 | 2,612 |
| Brakes | 21.8 | 24.2 | 2,605 |
| Suspension | 17.3 | 19.8 | 2,067 |
| Visibility | 10 | 10.6 | 1,194 |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.4 | 11.9 | 765 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 11,938 (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 2001 compare with the years around it?
Among the 6 published build years of the BMW Z3, 2001 ranks 3 (1 = fails least for its age). 2000: index 100.6. 2002: index 90.0.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 103.5 | 99.3–107.8 | no different | 6,082 |
| 1999 | 100.9 | 97.5–104.2 | no different | 9,850 |
| 2000 | 100.6 | 97.1–104.1 | no different | 9,017 |
| 2001 | 93.9 | 90.7–97.1 | better | 10,182 |
| 2002 | 90.0 | 86.3–93.8 | better | 7,132 |
| 2003 | 80.2 | 66.3–94.2 | better (rough estimate) | 473 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 42,736 (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 Z3 2001 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-z3/2001/
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 Z3 1998 · BMW Z3 1999 · BMW Z3 2000 · BMW Z3 2002 · BMW Z3 2003 · BMW Z3 in the Netherlands · BMW Z3 by postcode area · BMW Z3 body, chassis and structure failures · BMW Z3 brakes failures · BMW Z3 vehicle identification failures · BMW Z3 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW Z3 noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW Z3 road wheels failures · BMW Z3 seat belts and airbags failures · BMW Z3 steering failures · BMW Z3 suspension failures · BMW Z3 tyres failures · BMW Z3 visibility failures