THE DATA

289 Million Reasons
to Trust the Numbers

BIB is built on the complete official DVSA MOT inspection record — not estimates, not surveys, not forum opinion. Every insight comes from the same data used by the UK Government.

Official DVSA sourceComplete record — not a sample13 types of intelligence derived
Quick Answer
BIB's data comes entirely from the DVSA's official MOT inspection records, 289 million inspections across 97,106 model profiles, covering every UK MOT test since 2005 through 2024. The UK national MOT failure rate is 15.5%, the benchmark BIB uses to contextualise every model's performance.
THE_SCALE
289M
MOT inspection records
Complete DVSA dataset — not a sample
97,106
UK car model profiles
Every make, model, and year with sufficient test history
35
Years of vehicle data
Production years from 1990 to 2024
20+
Years of MOT test records
Every UK MOT test recorded since 2005
15.5%
National MOT failure rate
The benchmark every model is measured against
13
Intelligence types per report
Derived from the raw data — built by BIB

Where the Data Comes From

THE_SOURCE

The DVSA publishes the complete record of every MOT test conducted in England, Scotland, and Wales. This is not a feed, a sample, or a licensed copy — it is the same official dataset used by the UK Government, updated as new data is released. BIB processes each release in full.

DVSA MOT records
Every pass, every failure, every advisory, and every mileage reading recorded at test — since 2005.
DVLA vehicle data
Official registration data confirming make, model, year, fuel type, colour, and current MOT status.
No estimates or proxies
BIB does not use forum data, editorial scoring, survey responses, or third-party reliability indices.
Updated with each release
DVSA data is released periodically. BIB incorporates every update — you always see the most recent official record.
THE_IP

13 Types of Intelligence
Built on the Raw Data

The DVSA data is the raw material. The intelligence is what BIB derives from it. Each of the 13 sections in a BIB report represents a proprietary layer of analysis - built, tested, and refined on the national dataset. Vehicle Identity is free the moment you search; the other 12 unlock with one Bib.

Why the Methodology Matters

RIGOUR

Having 289 million records is not enough on its own. What matters is how you use them. BIB's methodology is designed to produce results that are statistically meaningful — and to show nothing rather than something misleading when the evidence base is too thin.

THRESHOLD
Minimum data thresholds

BIB requires 100 MOT tests per model-year combination before showing reliability results. Below that threshold, nothing is shown — a blank is more honest than a figure derived from too few examples. A rate built on 12 tests tells you very little; one built on 12,000 tells you a great deal.

ISOLATION
First-MOT methodology

The 3-Year Test isolates a model's performance at its very first MOT — before any individual owner's care or neglect could have influenced the result. This strips away maintenance variables and reveals the model's inherent build quality as it left the factory.

DERIVATION
Wear threshold derivation

Wear Guide comparisons are derived per part, not per category. For each part, BIB calculates the national median mileage at which examples of this exact model and year have needed it addressed — requiring at least 2,000 MOT records before that median is shown. Where this car's own record shows a part recurring more than once, that personal pattern takes priority over the national figure.

PERCENTILE
Reliability scoring

The Reliability Score compares a specific car's MOT failure history against every other example of the same make, model, and year in the national dataset. A score of 75 means this car is outperforming 75% of comparable vehicles. The score is percentile-based, not arbitrary.

NATIONAL_PICTURE

What the Dataset Enables

At 289 million records, patterns emerge that no individual car's history can reveal. These national benchmarks are what make every individual BIB report meaningful — without them, you have data. With them, you have context.

15.5%
UK national fail rate

The benchmark every model is measured against. A model at 7% is failing at less than half the national rate.

97,106
Model profiles

Every make, model, and production year with enough test history to produce statistically reliable results.

100+
Tests before a score shows

BIB's minimum threshold per model-year combination. Below this, no result is shown — a blank is more honest than a weak figure.

TRY_IT

See It Applied to a Specific Car

Enter any UK registration plate. Vehicle Identity, the raw MOT history, and a Bib Rating are always free. One Bib (£3) unlocks the other 12 intelligence sections.

Open BIB