1986 Mercedes 300 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age

40 years

Current Age

74.4%

Latest Pass Rate

3,146

Total Tests (All Years)

94,738 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 1986 Mercedes 300 as it ages.

23 yrs63.8%

→ ↓0.8%

24 yrs63.0%

→ ↑1.7%

25 yrs64.7%

→ ↑0.1%

26 yrs64.8%

→ ↑1.6%

27 yrs66.4%

→ ↑5.2%

28 yrs71.6%

→ ↓2.6%

29 yrs69.0%

→ ↑1.8%

30 yrs70.8%

→ ↑2.0%

31 yrs72.8%

→ ↓0.9%

32 yrs71.9%

→ ↑2.5%

33 yrs74.4%

→ ↓0.0%

34 yrs74.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
23 yrs	63.8%	420
24 yrs	63.0%	384
25 yrs	64.7%	374
26 yrs	64.8%	338
27 yrs	66.4%	330
28 yrs	71.6%	313
29 yrs	69.0%	323
30 yrs	70.8%	301
31 yrs	72.8%	114
32 yrs	71.9%	89
33 yrs	74.4%	82
34 yrs	74.4%	78

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1986 Mercedes 300 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (34 yrs)	74.4%	78
2019 (33 yrs)	74.4%	82
2018 (32 yrs)	71.9%	89
2017 (31 yrs)	72.8%	114
2016 (30 yrs)	70.8%	301
2015 (29 yrs)	69%	323
2014 (28 yrs)	71.6%	313
2013 (27 yrs)	66.4%	330
2012 (26 yrs)	64.8%	338
2011 (25 yrs)	64.7%	374
2010 (24 yrs)	63%	384
2009 (23 yrs)	63.8%	420

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

63.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 420Avg Mileage 106,157Top Failure Brakes — 16.0%

2010High Fail Rate

63.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 384Avg Mileage 104,255Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.4%

2011High Fail Rate

64.7%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 374Avg Mileage 101,126Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.6%

2012High Fail Rate

64.8%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 338Avg Mileage 100,034Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%

2013

66.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 330Avg Mileage 99,532Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.1%

2014

71.6%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 313Avg Mileage 96,730Top Failure Suspension — 35.8%

2015

69.0%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 323Avg Mileage 97,300Top Failure Brakes — 32.8%

2016

70.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 301Avg Mileage 99,396Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.6%

2017

72.8%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 114Avg Mileage 88,361Top Failure Suspension — 30.7%

2018

71.9%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 89Avg Mileage 96,244Top Failure Brakes — 34.8%

2019

74.4%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 82Avg Mileage 95,107Top Failure Suspension — 53.7%

2020

74.4%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 78Avg Mileage 94,738Top Failure Suspension — 35.9%

MOT results for 1986 Mercedes 300 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	23	63.8%	420	106,157	Brakes — 16.0%
2010	24	63.0%	384	104,255	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.4%
2011	25	64.7%	374	101,126	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.6%
2012	26	64.8%	338	100,034	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%
2013	27	66.4%	330	99,532	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.1%
2014	28	71.6%	313	96,730	Suspension — 35.8%
2015	29	69.0%	323	97,300	Brakes — 32.8%
2016	30	70.8%	301	99,396	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 27.6%
2017	31	72.8%	114	88,361	Suspension — 30.7%
2018	32	71.9%	89	96,244	Brakes — 34.8%
2019	33	74.4%	82	95,107	Suspension — 53.7%
2020	34	74.4%	78	94,738	Suspension — 35.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1986 Mercedes 300, with age trends.

Suspension

27.0%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

22.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

22.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

19.5%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

16.0%

↓ Decreases 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	13.1% (23 yrs)	35.9% (34 yrs)	+22.8%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	7.9% (23 yrs)	15.4% (34 yrs)	+7.5%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	16.0% (23 yrs)	19.2% (34 yrs)	+3.2%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1998 1999

← Back to Mercedes 300 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes 300 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes 300 cars manufactured in 1986 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 3,146 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.