Part of the BMW 118 E87 (2004–2011) guide: best and worst years compared.

Used car guide

2005 BMW 118: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2005 BMW 118s, from 1,234 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

1,234MOT tests in 2025
61%pass first time (all 2005 cars: 58%)
6,900typical miles a year
4.2×the usual rate for flexible brake hoses

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2005 BMW 118s than on all cars registered in 2005.

  • Flexible brake hoses4.2× usual
    BMW 118
    24.1% All 2005 cars
    5.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.7%, against 1.2% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £50–£200 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look for cracked or bulging rubber hoses behind the wheels and in the engine bay.

  • Sub-frame2.4× usual
    BMW 118
    16.3% All 2005 cars
    6.8%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.7%, against 0.3% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £300–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Look underneath at the frame the suspension bolts to. Flaky rust or holes are expensive to fix.

  • Shock absorbers2.3× usual
    BMW 118
    16% All 2005 cars
    6.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.8%, against 1.7% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £200–£300 (pair, average rear to front) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Push down hard on each corner. It should bounce once and settle. Look for oil on the shock absorber body.

  • Individual direction indicators3× usual
    BMW 118
    10.6% All 2005 cars
    3.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.7%, against 1.5% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

  • Airbag warning light2.3× usual
    BMW 118
    3.6% All 2005 cars
    1.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.2%, against 1.5% of all 2005 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light while you work the switches: indicators, brake lights, fog lights and reversing lights.

Better than most

Coil springs: 5.3% here, against 10.8% of all 2005 cars. Track rod ends: 2.8% here, against 6.1% of all 2005 cars.

By area

The share of 2005 BMW 118 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    49% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Suspension
    47% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    38% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Tyres
    36% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    22% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

  • Wipers, windscreen and mirrors
    14% of testsRough price £15–£250

    At the viewing: Check for chips in the driver's view, and test the wipers and washers.

Looking at a BMW 118?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2023835Tyres 10%
20229,927Tyres 25%
202112,728Tyres 27%
202017,792Tyres 31%
201910,275Tyres 29%
201811,127Tyres 30%
201714,713Tyres 29%
201613,711Tyres 29%
201510,895Tyres 30%
20144,296Tyres 31%
20135,365Tyres 34%
20125,514Suspension 33%
20118,574Tyres 35%
20109,214Suspension 39%
20096,637Suspension 42%
20084,568Brakes 49%
20072,687Brakes 48%
20062,062Brakes 51%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2005 BMW 118s registered in 2005. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score