Used car guide

2008 BMW 125: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2008 BMW 125s, from 547 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

547MOT tests in 2025
76%pass first time (all 2008 cars: 57%)
5,600typical miles a year
4.9×the usual rate for flexible brake hoses

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2008 BMW 125s than on all cars registered in 2008.

  • Flexible brake hoses4.9× usual
    BMW 125
    19.7% All 2008 cars
    4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.2%, against 0.5% of all 2008 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 indicators2.8× usual
    BMW 125
    8.6% All 2008 cars
    3.1%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.4%, against 1.3% of all 2008 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: 4.9% here, against 12.2% of all 2008 cars. Headlights: 4.8% here, against 10.7% of all 2008 cars.

By area

The share of 2008 BMW 125 MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Brakes
    37% 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
    31% 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.

  • Tyres
    28% 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
    23% of testsRough price £10–£80

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

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    18% 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
    10% 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 125?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2015865Tyres 26%
2014651Tyres 31%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2008 BMW 125s registered in 2008. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score