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1985 Mercedes-Benz C — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1985 perform at MOT as they age

41 years
Current Age
76.7%
Latest Pass Rate
142
Total Tests (All Years)
144,313 mi
Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1985 Mercedes-Benz C as it ages.

36 yrs71.9%
37 yrs77.4%
38 yrs69.4%
39 yrs76.7%

Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 36 to 39 years

Fail Rate %
📊 View as table
AgePass RateTests
36 yrs71.9%32
37 yrs77.4%31
38 yrs69.4%36
39 yrs76.7%43

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1985 Mercedes-Benz C pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

Trend shows stable over 4 years

Pass Rate %
📊 View as table
BuiltPass RateTests
2024 (39 yrs)76.7%43
2023 (38 yrs)69.4%36
2022 (37 yrs)77.4%31
2021 (36 yrs)71.9%32

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2021
71.9%
Age (yrs) 36Tests 32Avg Mileage 118,733Top Failure Suspension — 28.1%
2022
77.4%
Age (yrs) 37Tests 31Avg Mileage 113,765Top Failure Brakes — 22.6%
2023
69.4%
Age (yrs) 38Tests 36Avg Mileage 117,066Top Failure Suspension — 69.4%
2024
76.7%
Age (yrs) 39Tests 43Avg Mileage 144,313Top Failure Brakes — 65.1%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1985 Mercedes-Benz C, with age trends.

Suspension
35.1%
↓ Decreases with age
Brakes
33.4%
↑ Increases with age
Body, chassis, structure
22.6%
↑ Increases with age
Tyres
19.1%
↑ Increases with age
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment
17.4%
↓ Decreases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

CategoryAt YoungestAt OldestChangeTrend
Brakes12.5% (36 yrs)65.1% (39 yrs)
+52.6%
🔴 ↑
Tyres15.6% (36 yrs)27.9% (39 yrs)
+12.3%
🔴 ↑
Body, chassis, structure15.6% (36 yrs)27.9% (39 yrs)
+12.3%
🔴 ↑
Suspension28.1% (36 yrs)23.3% (39 yrs)
-4.8%
🟢 ↓
Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment18.8% (36 yrs)14.0% (39 yrs)
-4.8%
🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes-Benz C page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes-Benz C cars manufactured in 1985 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2021 to 2024, covering 142 tests. Pass rates naturally decline with age as components wear.

Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

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