MOT comparison

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 vs BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34

How the Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 (4th Gen) (2014–2021) and the BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34 (6th Gen) (2012–2019) do at their MOTs, compared at the same mileage so a high-mileage car is never measured against a low-mileage one.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 (4th Gen)

1,214,557

MOT tests compared · built 2014–2021

Passes more often in 5 of 15 mileage bands

BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34 (6th Gen)

1,793,185

MOT tests compared · built 2012–2019

Passes more often in 6 of 15 mileage bands

MOT pass rate by mileage

Share of MOTs passed first time, at the mileage recorded at the test.

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34

Under 10,000 miles 94.9% vs 95.6%

16,154 and 11,607 MOTs

10,000–20,000 miles 91.3% vs 93.0%

90,994 and 72,771 MOTs

20,000–30,000 miles 89.0% vs 89.8%

166,058 and 157,218 MOTs

30,000–40,000 miles 86.9% vs 88.1%

182,203 and 200,716 MOTs

40,000–50,000 miles 84.8% vs 86.4%

167,632 and 210,479 MOTs

50,000–60,000 miles 83.0% vs 84.6%

143,755 and 201,933 MOTs

60,000–70,000 miles 81.4% vs 83.1%

116,791 and 185,803 MOTs

70,000–80,000 miles 80.1% vs 81.5%

91,569 and 163,807 MOTs

80,000–90,000 miles 79.4% vs 80.1%

69,265 and 138,970 MOTs

90,000–100,000 miles 78.3% vs 78.7%

51,226 and 114,216 MOTs

100,000–125,000 miles 77.5% vs 76.5%

71,263 and 186,697 MOTs

125,000–150,000 miles 77.0% vs 74.5%

29,116 and 90,072 MOTs

150,000–175,000 miles 76.5% vs 71.9%

11,502 and 37,671 MOTs

175,000–200,000 miles 75.7% vs 70.6%

4,427 and 14,486 MOTs

200,000–250,000 miles 76.5% vs 70.3%

2,602 and 6,739 MOTs

Parts that fail more often

Only differences that hold across at least half of the mileage bands we could compare, and that are far too large to be chance, are listed. How we decide

Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205 fails more often on

Engine management light

Fails about 5 times as often as the BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34: 2.5% of MOTs against 0.76%.

In 14 of 15 mileage bands · Dashboard Warning Lights
Front coil spring

Fails over 20 times as often as the BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34: 1.7% of MOTs against 0.07%.

In 12 of 15 mileage bands · Springs & Shocks
Front lower suspension arm

Fails about 5 times as often as the BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34: 1.9% of MOTs against 0.41%.

In 11 of 15 mileage bands · Suspension & Joints

BMW 3 Series F30/F31/F34 fails more often on

Front position lamp

Fails about 12 times as often as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205: 2.2% of MOTs against 0.15%.

In 12 of 15 mileage bands · Lights & Signals
Headlamp

Fails about twice as often as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class W205: 3.4% of MOTs against 1.7%.

In 10 of 15 mileage bands · Lights & Signals

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These are differences in real MOT results, not engineering verdicts. Owner mix differs between models (some are more often taxis, first cars or rural cars), which is why every figure compares cars at the same mileage. How we compare cars.

MOT records: DVSA MOT history, which contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. See this the other way round.