1984 Mercedes 280 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1984 perform at MOT as they age

42 years

Current Age

77.2%

Latest Pass Rate

2,854

Total Tests (All Years)

90,354 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 1984 Mercedes 280 as it ages.

25 yrs62.5%

→ ↑1.7%

26 yrs64.2%

→ ↑1.2%

27 yrs65.4%

→ ↓5.0%

28 yrs60.4%

→ ↑11.3%

29 yrs71.7%

→ ↓6.8%

30 yrs64.9%

→ ↓0.3%

31 yrs64.6%

→ ↑8.1%

32 yrs72.7%

→ ↓2.0%

33 yrs70.7%

→ ↑8.7%

34 yrs79.4%

→ ↓10.1%

35 yrs69.3%

→ ↑7.9%

36 yrs77.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
25 yrs	62.5%	365
26 yrs	64.2%	332
27 yrs	65.4%	315
28 yrs	60.4%	293
29 yrs	71.7%	290
30 yrs	64.9%	291
31 yrs	64.6%	288
32 yrs	72.7%	271
33 yrs	70.7%	140
34 yrs	79.4%	102
35 yrs	69.3%	88
36 yrs	77.2%	79

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1984 Mercedes 280 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (36 yrs)	77.2%	79
2019 (35 yrs)	69.3%	88
2018 (34 yrs)	79.4%	102
2017 (33 yrs)	70.7%	140
2016 (32 yrs)	72.7%	271
2015 (31 yrs)	64.6%	288
2014 (30 yrs)	64.9%	291
2013 (29 yrs)	71.7%	290
2012 (28 yrs)	60.4%	293
2011 (27 yrs)	65.4%	315
2010 (26 yrs)	64.2%	332
2009 (25 yrs)	62.5%	365

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 365Avg Mileage 97,266Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.5%

2010High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 332Avg Mileage 97,109Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.7%

2011

65.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 315Avg Mileage 97,637Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.5%

2012High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 293Avg Mileage 96,959Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.5%

2013

71.7%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 290Avg Mileage 94,266Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.2%

2014High Fail Rate

64.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 291Avg Mileage 99,676Top Failure Brakes — 38.8%

2015High Fail Rate

64.6%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 288Avg Mileage 95,607Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 43.4%

2016

72.7%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 271Avg Mileage 94,872Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.7%

2017

70.7%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 140Avg Mileage 93,989Top Failure Suspension — 27.1%

2018

79.4%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 102Avg Mileage 92,033Top Failure Brakes — 34.3%

2019

69.3%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 88Avg Mileage 89,653Top Failure Suspension — 37.5%

2020

77.2%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 79Avg Mileage 90,354Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 22.8%

MOT results for 1984 Mercedes 280 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	25	62.5%	365	97,266	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.5%
2010	26	64.2%	332	97,109	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.7%
2011	27	65.4%	315	97,637	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.5%
2012	28	60.4%	293	96,959	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.5%
2013	29	71.7%	290	94,266	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.2%
2014	30	64.9%	291	99,676	Brakes — 38.8%
2015	31	64.6%	288	95,607	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 43.4%
2016	32	72.7%	271	94,872	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.7%
2017	33	70.7%	140	93,989	Suspension — 27.1%
2018	34	79.4%	102	92,033	Brakes — 34.3%
2019	35	69.3%	88	89,653	Suspension — 37.5%
2020	36	77.2%	79	90,354	Body, chassis, structure — 22.8%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1984 Mercedes 280, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

26.7%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

25.3%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

23.9%

— Consistent

Brakes

23.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.3%

↑ Increases with age

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Brakes	13.4% (25 yrs)	20.3% (36 yrs)	+6.9%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	14.0% (25 yrs)	17.7% (36 yrs)	+3.7%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 2006

← Back to Mercedes 280 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes 280 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes 280 cars manufactured in 1984 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 2,854 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.