BMW M6
From 3,225 MOT tests. Above average for its class.
Common MOT failure categories
Pass rate by registration year
What goes wrong?
The most common MOT failure reasons are a tyre cords visible or damaged, a tyre seriously damaged and number plate does not conform to the specified requirements. The top issue, a tyre cords visible or damaged, caused 40 failures in 2024. Checking tread depth (1.6mm legal minimum, 3mm recommended) before your test can save an unnecessary fail. You can check prices at Black Circles if you need replacements. If you need repairs before retesting, sites like BookMyGarage let you compare local prices.
| a tyre cords visible or damaged | 40 |
| a tyre seriously damaged | 37 |
| number plate does not conform to the specified requirements | 23 |
| lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer | 16 |
| windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen | 12 |
| a headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of led or gas discharge systems (hid) | 12 |
| a suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn | 11 |
| tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements | 11 |
| wiper blade missing or obviously not clearing the windscreen | 11 |
| a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc | 10 |
BMW M6 on UK roads
The fleet is shrinking: 27 scrapped or exported in the past year with only 2 newly registered, a net loss of 25. At this rate, roughly 68.5 years until none remain.
Quarterly breakdown
| Quarter | On road | SORN | New | Gone | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q3 | 1,140 | 505 | +1 | -18 | -17 |
| 2025 Q2 | 1,171 | 491 | +1 | -3 | -2 |
| 2025 Q1 | 1,104 | 560 | +0 | -1 | -1 |
| 2024 Q4 | 1,107 | 558 | +0 | -5 | -5 |
| 2024 Q3 | 1,182 | 488 | +3 | -0 | +9 |
| 2024 Q2 | 1,179 | 482 | +0 | -9 | -9 |
| 2024 Q1 | 1,163 | 507 | +0 | -34 | -34 |
| 2023 Q4 | 1,165 | 539 | +2 | -12 | -10 |
4 variants on the road
| Variant | Fuel | Licensed | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| M6 Auto | Petrol | 658 | 59% |
| M6 | Gas | 261 | 24% |
| M6 Gran Coupe Auto | Petrol | 119 | 11% |
| M635 Csi | Petrol | 70 | 6% |
Source: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, 2025 Q3. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0.
By registration year
| Year | Pass rate | Top failures |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 90.1% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2017 | 95% | a tyre seriously damaged, brake disc or drum significantly and obviously worn |
| 2016 | 91.8% | a tyre seriously damaged, a tyre cords visible or damaged |
| 2015 | 92.3% | a tyre seriously damaged, a headlamp cleaning device inoperative in the case of led or gas discharge systems (hid) |
5 earlier years
| 2014 | 91.5% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, lambda coefficient outside the default limits or the range specified by the manufacturer |
| 2013 | 93.1% | a tyre cords visible or damaged, a spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened |
| 2012 | 92% | a tyre seriously damaged, brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured |
| 2006 | 91.1% | tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded |
| 2005 | 87.3% | a direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, a suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc |
Typical mileage
Half of all M6s tested had between 30,355 and 65,379 miles on the clock.
At 45,360 median miles, the M6 has 0.018 failures per 10,000 miles driven.
Other BMW models
| BMW 3 Series | 79.2% |
| BMW 118 | 82.8% |
| BMW 116 | 78.9% |
| BMW X5 | 85.4% |
| BMW X3 | 83.9% |
Common questions
What is the BMW M6 MOT pass rate?
The BMW M6 has a 91.8% MOT pass rate based on 3,225 real MOT tests. This is above the national average.
What are common MOT failures on a BMW M6?
The most common MOT failure on the BMW M6 is a tyre cords visible or damaged, which caused 40 failures. Other common issues include a tyre seriously damaged.
How many BMW M6s are on UK roads?
There are 1,140 BMW M6s currently licensed on UK roads, with 505 on SORN.
What is the typical mileage of a BMW M6 at MOT?
The median mileage at MOT for a BMW M6 is 45,360 miles. The middle 50% of vehicles tested have between 30,355 and 65,379 miles.
Buying a used M6?
Start with the free tools. Look up the specific vehicle's MOT history on GOV.UK The mileage at each test will show if it's been wound back, and the advisory history tells you what's wearing. Cross-reference that against the typical failures above to see if anything looks unusual for this model.
The free data won't tell you about outstanding finance, theft markers, or write-off history. For that, you need a vehicle history check This is especially important on a private sale where you have fewer legal protections.
Some links are to services we may earn from. Disclosure.
MOT data from DVSA anonymised test results, 2024 test year. Fleet data from DfT vehicle licensing statistics. Crown copyright, OGL v3.0. MOT pass rates are statistical summaries of test outcomes, not assessments of individual vehicle safety or condition. Always inspect a vehicle and check its full MOT history before purchasing. See terms of use.