Used car guide

2019 BMW 8 Series: common problems and MOT failures

What MOT testers find on the BMW 8 Series first registered in 2019: we looked at the 2,977 MOTs these cars had during 2023–2025. Plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,977MOTs of 2019 cars, done in 2023–2025
85%pass first time (all 2019 cars: 85%)
6,600typical miles a year
null×the usual rate for flexible couplings

What goes wrong more than usual on a 2019 BMW 8 Series?

Parts flagged at MOT more often on the 2019 BMW 8 Series than on all cars registered in 2019.

  • Flexible couplingsnull× usual
    BMW 8 Series
    3.8% All 2019 cars
    0%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.6%, against 0% of all 2019 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £150–£1,000 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the sills, wheel arches and underneath for rust, and look along the panels for uneven gaps or paint.

Better than most

Brake discs: 2.1% here, against 8.5% of all 2019 cars. Brake pads: 3.9% here, against 10.1% of all 2019 cars.

Common 2019 BMW 8 Series MOT failures and advisories

The share of 2019 BMW 8 Series MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Tyres
    25% 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.

  • Brakes
    6% 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.

  • Lights and electrics
    5% 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
    3% of testsRough price £15–£250

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

  • Suspension
    1% 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.

  • Seats and seatbelts
    1% of testsRough price £80–£250

    At the viewing: Pull each seatbelt sharply. It should lock, and retract cleanly.

Questions to ask the seller before buying a 2019 BMW 8 Series

Ask before you travel to see it. A seller who knows the car will have answers, and receipts.

  1. Any recent work on the flexible couplings? (Flagged at MOT null× as often on the 2019 BMW 8 Series as on other cars the same age.)
  2. Can I see the service history and receipts for any big jobs?

Looking at a BMW 8 Series?

Check the actual car: its own MOT history, mileage and what to ask the seller. Free, no sign-up.

Other years

Every year of the BMW 8 Series compared

YearMOT testsMost flagged
2026–Too new for MOT data
2025–Too new for MOT data
2024–Too new for MOT data
2023–Too new for MOT data
2022–Too few tests
2021188Tyres 21%
20201,102Tyres 23%
2018637Tyres 22%
1999–Too few tests
1998–Too few tests
1997–Too few tests
1996–Too few tests
1995–Too few tests
1994–Too few tests
1993–Too few tests
1992–Too few tests
1991–Too few tests

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test done in Great Britain during 2023–2025, counting the MOTs of BMW 8 Series cars first registered in 2019. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score