Used car guide

2009 BMW 123: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2009 BMW 123s, from 688 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

688MOT tests in 2025
69%pass first time (all 2009 cars: 58%)
7,900typical miles a year
2.6×the usual rate for shock absorbers

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2009 BMW 123s than on all cars registered in 2009.

  • Shock absorbers2.6× usual
    BMW 123
    19.3% All 2009 cars
    7.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 4.9%, against 2% of all 2009 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.

  • Flexible brake hoses4.4× usual
    BMW 123
    13.1% All 2009 cars
    3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.6%, against 0.4% of all 2009 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 indicators2.1× usual
    BMW 123
    6.1% All 2009 cars
    2.9%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.5%, against 1.2% of all 2009 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: 5.5% here, against 12.4% of all 2009 cars. Exhaust system: 3.5% here, against 8.4% of all 2009 cars.

By area

The share of 2009 BMW 123 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    45% 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.

  • Brakes
    35% 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.

  • Tyres
    32% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    27% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • 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.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    7% 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.

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2010510Suspension 37%
2008995Suspension 47%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2009 BMW 123s registered in 2009. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score