BMW Z4 2003: MOT failure rate for its age
34.0% of 17,174 MOT tests of the BMW Z4 first registered in 2003 failed at the first attempt (2019–2024; retests excluded). Against this model's own normal rate at the same ages the index is 104.7 (95% CI 102.0–107.4; 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 | 34.0 | % | all ages tested | 2019–2024 | 17174 |
| Index against this model at the same age (95% CI 102.0–107.4) | 104.7 | index | 100 = normal for this model at that age | 2019–2024 | 17174 |
| Rank among this model's 17 build years | 13 | of 17 | 1 = fails least for its age | 2019–2024 | 17174 |
| Tested in 2024 | 2502 | tests | median 97,111 miles | 2024 | 2502 |
Data release dvsa-2024-v2 (24 Sep 2026) · page updated 30 Sep 2026 · full dataset (v5).
How does the 2003 BMW Z4 fail at each age?
Cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 3,325 | 35.8 | 34.2–37.4 | 34.9 | 102.6 |
| 17 | 2,872 | 34.5 | 32.8–36.3 | 32.2 | 107.4 |
| 18 | 2,921 | 34.7 | 33–36.5 | 33.1 | 105 |
| 19 | 2,844 | 32 | 30.3–33.7 | 31.4 | 101.9 |
| 20 | 2,710 | 34.4 | 32.6–36.2 | 31.8 | 108.1 |
| 21 | 2,502 | 32.3 | 30.5–34.2 | 31.2 | 103.5 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 17,174 (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 2003 BMW Z4?
The most common failure group on cars built in 2003 is lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment: 23.6 items per 100 first tests, against 11.8 across all build years of the BMW Z4. These counts are not age-adjusted: cars built in 2003 were tested at ages 16 to 21.
| Failure group | Built 2003, per 100 | All build years, per 100 | Items |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 23.6 | 11.8 | 4,053 |
| Brakes | 21.7 | 10.8 | 3,719 |
| Suspension | 20.9 | 11.4 | 3,592 |
| Visibility | 10.8 | 6.9 | 1,851 |
| Tyres | 9.1 | 8.8 | 1,560 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 17,174 (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 2003 compare with the years around it?
Among the 17 published build years of the BMW Z4, 2003 ranks 13 (1 = fails least for its age). 2004: index 102.4.
| Build year | Index (100 = normal) | 95% interval | Verdict | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 104.7 | 102.0–107.4 | worse | 17,174 |
| 2004 | 102.4 | 100.0–104.9 | no different | 20,618 |
| 2005 | 115.7 | 112.6–118.9 | worse | 14,139 |
| 2006 | 102.2 | 99.6–104.8 | no different | 19,975 |
| 2007 | 99.4 | 96.8–102.0 | no different | 20,289 |
| 2008 | 109.8 | 106.1–113.5 | worse | 11,670 |
| 2009 | 81.4 | 78.5–84.3 | better | 15,365 |
| 2010 | 88.6 | 85.0–92.1 | better | 12,152 |
| 2011 | 90.6 | 86.8–94.4 | better | 12,046 |
| 2012 | 96.8 | 92.6–100.9 | no different | 11,689 |
| 2013 | 102.5 | 97.7–107.3 | no different | 9,760 |
| 2014 | 96.8 | 92.4–101.2 | no different | 11,831 |
| 2015 | 96.3 | 91.2–101.3 | no different | 9,794 |
| 2016 | 104.8 | 98.6–111.1 | no different | 7,536 |
| 2017 | 112.5 | 91.2–133.7 | no different (rough estimate) | 751 |
| 2019 | 94.9 | 87.6–102.2 | no different | 6,201 |
| 2020 | 88.7 | 78.2–99.1 | better (rough estimate) | 3,108 |
Source: DVSA MOT bulk data · Window: 2019–2024 · n = 204,098 (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 Z4 2003 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-z4/2003/
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 Z4 2004 · BMW Z4 2005 · BMW Z4 2006 · BMW Z4 2007 · BMW Z4 2008 · BMW Z4 2009 · BMW Z4 2010 · BMW Z4 2011 · BMW Z4 2012 · BMW Z4 2013 · BMW Z4 2014 · BMW Z4 2015 · BMW Z4 2016 · BMW Z4 2017 · BMW Z4 2019 · BMW Z4 2020 · BMW Z4 in Finland · BMW Z4 in the Netherlands · BMW Z4 by postcode area · BMW Z4 body, chassis and structure failures · BMW Z4 brakes failures · BMW Z4 vehicle identification failures · BMW Z4 lamps, reflectors and electrics failures · BMW Z4 noise, emissions and leaks failures · BMW Z4 road wheels failures · BMW Z4 seat belts and airbags failures · BMW Z4 steering failures · BMW Z4 suspension failures · BMW Z4 tyres failures · BMW Z4 visibility failures