Used car guide

2004 BMW 120: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2004 BMW 120s, from 534 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

534MOT tests in 2025
63%pass first time (all 2004 cars: 58%)
5,800typical miles a year
4.3×the usual rate for flexible brake hoses

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2004 BMW 120s than on all cars registered in 2004.

  • Flexible brake hoses4.3× usual
    BMW 120
    24.7% All 2004 cars
    5.7%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.3%, against 1.2% of all 2004 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.

  • Individual direction indicators2.9× usual
    BMW 120
    9.9% All 2004 cars
    3.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 3.4%, against 1.5% of all 2004 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.

  • Sub-frame2.1× usual
    BMW 120
    13.1% All 2004 cars
    6.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 1.7%, against 0.3% of all 2004 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.

Better than most

Headlights: 3.9% here, against 13.7% of all 2004 cars. Rigid brake pipes: 7.7% here, against 17.1% of all 2004 cars.

By area

The share of 2004 BMW 120 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    47% 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
    41% 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
    36% 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
    31% 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
    25% 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
    11% 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 120?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2020621Tyres 25%
2019642Tyres 26%
20181,396Tyres 28%
20172,316Tyres 27%
20163,349Tyres 27%
20153,584Tyres 29%
20142,942Tyres 32%
20132,330Tyres 31%
20122,386Tyres 34%
20113,160Tyres 36%
20103,451Suspension 39%
20092,909Suspension 40%
20083,328Brakes 45%
20071,964Brakes 47%
20061,752Brakes 54%
20051,712Brakes 50%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2004 BMW 120s registered in 2004. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score