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What to check: BMW X1

BBy age

ABy miles

Ranked across all years of the BMW X1, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 10.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Coil springsLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 1.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.4%

Brake pipes underneathFollow the metal brake lines with a torch where they run along the sills and over the rear axle. White crust or flaking metal means they are corroding, and the online MOT history usually shows the same advisory creeping up for years before the fail.Recorded on 1.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.9%

DampersLook for oil misting on the damper body behind each wheel, then push down hard on each corner of the car. It should settle in one bounce. A floaty or crashy ride on the test drive is the same fault felt from the driver's seat.Recorded on 1.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.3%

Lights and horn walkroundWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 0.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.8%

LeaksLook at the ground where the car usually stands, then glance under the engine after your test drive. Fresh drips of oil or coolant are the cheapest warning you will ever get about a car.Recorded on 0.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 20.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 9.3% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 8.7%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 2.0%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

Turn on the infotainment from a cold start and watch the boot-up screen.A long hang or reboot loop points to the iDrive and Connected Drive fault reported on 2015-2022 cars.

On a car with driver-assist systems, take it on a dual carriageway and note if the brakes grab on their own.Sudden unprompted braking is the AEB fault some F48 owners have reported.

Check the service history for turbo or injector work, especially on a 2015-2022 car with over 30-40k miles.Turbo and injector wear has been reported from around 40,000 miles on the F48.

On a diesel 2009-2015 X1, listen for a rattle or whine from the turbo at idle and under load.Consistent with the N47's reported turbo bearing oil seal failure, which can wreck the engine if ignored.

On an automatic 2009-2015 car, do a full-throttle kickdown and feel for hesitation or a clunk from the gearbox.Could be early signs of the friction plate and ring gear wear reported at high mileage.

On an xDrive car, ask when the front differential oil was last changed.It's a sealed-for-life item off the service schedule, and one has reportedly failed around 48,000 miles from age-related oil breakdown.

Check the car's recall status with BMW or the DVSA recall checker before buying a 2022-on X1.It's been subject to several official recalls, including one covering the integrated braking system.

Full BMW X1 reliability report