1985 Mercedes 280 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1985 perform at MOT as they age

41 years

Current Age

77.5%

Latest Pass Rate

3,029

Total Tests (All Years)

94,835 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 280 as it ages.

24 yrs59.5%

→ ↑1.2%

25 yrs60.7%

→ ↑5.4%

26 yrs66.1%

→ ↓3.5%

27 yrs62.6%

→ ↑5.4%

28 yrs68.0%

→ ↑2.6%

29 yrs70.6%

→ ↑2.6%

30 yrs73.2%

→ ↓2.8%

31 yrs70.4%

→ ↑3.4%

32 yrs73.8%

→ ↓2.4%

33 yrs71.4%

→ ↑2.2%

34 yrs73.6%

→ ↑3.9%

35 yrs77.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
24 yrs	59.5%	385
25 yrs	60.7%	364
26 yrs	66.1%	348
27 yrs	62.6%	310
28 yrs	68.0%	328
29 yrs	70.6%	309
30 yrs	73.2%	306
31 yrs	70.4%	307
32 yrs	73.8%	130
33 yrs	71.4%	84
34 yrs	73.6%	87
35 yrs	77.5%	71

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1985 Mercedes 280 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (35 yrs)	77.5%	71
2019 (34 yrs)	73.6%	87
2018 (33 yrs)	71.4%	84
2017 (32 yrs)	73.8%	130
2016 (31 yrs)	70.4%	307
2015 (30 yrs)	73.2%	306
2014 (29 yrs)	70.6%	309
2013 (28 yrs)	68%	328
2012 (27 yrs)	62.6%	310
2011 (26 yrs)	66.1%	348
2010 (25 yrs)	60.7%	364
2009 (24 yrs)	59.5%	385

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

59.5%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 385Avg Mileage 92,580Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.1%

2010High Fail Rate

60.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 364Avg Mileage 95,806Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.1%

2011

66.1%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 348Avg Mileage 90,728Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%

2012High Fail Rate

62.6%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 310Avg Mileage 93,892Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.7%

2013

68.0%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 328Avg Mileage 93,528Top Failure Brakes — 40.5%

2014

70.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 309Avg Mileage 91,092Top Failure Suspension — 33.3%

2015

73.2%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 306Avg Mileage 92,412Top Failure Suspension — 28.4%

2016

70.4%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 307Avg Mileage 94,930Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.9%

2017

73.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 130Avg Mileage 94,476Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.8%

2018

71.4%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 84Avg Mileage 93,386Top Failure Brakes — 39.3%

2019

73.6%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 87Avg Mileage 93,657Top Failure Brakes — 23.0%

2020

77.5%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 71Avg Mileage 94,835Top Failure Suspension — 43.7%

MOT results for 1985 Mercedes 280 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	24	59.5%	385	92,580	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.1%
2010	25	60.7%	364	95,806	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.1%
2011	26	66.1%	348	90,728	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.1%
2012	27	62.6%	310	93,892	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.7%
2013	28	68.0%	328	93,528	Brakes — 40.5%
2014	29	70.6%	309	91,092	Suspension — 33.3%
2015	30	73.2%	306	92,412	Suspension — 28.4%
2016	31	70.4%	307	94,930	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 34.9%
2017	32	73.8%	130	94,476	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.8%
2018	33	71.4%	84	93,386	Brakes — 39.3%
2019	34	73.6%	87	93,657	Brakes — 23.0%
2020	35	77.5%	71	94,835	Suspension — 43.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1985 Mercedes 280, with age trends.

Suspension

26.0%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

25.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

24.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.8%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

16.4%

↑ 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
Suspension	16.1% (24 yrs)	43.7% (35 yrs)	+27.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	16.4% (24 yrs)	23.9% (35 yrs)	+7.5%	🔴 ↑

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 1985 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 3,029 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.