1990 Mercedes 300 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1990 perform at MOT as they age

36 years

Current Age

72.0%

Latest Pass Rate

5,593

Total Tests (All Years)

116,592 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 1990 Mercedes 300 as it ages.

19 yrs61.6%

→ ↑1.7%

20 yrs63.3%

→ ↑1.8%

21 yrs65.1%

→ ↑1.9%

22 yrs67.0%

→ ↑2.5%

23 yrs69.5%

→ ↓1.6%

24 yrs67.9%

→ ↑2.0%

25 yrs69.9%

→ ↑3.4%

26 yrs73.3%

→ ↑2.7%

27 yrs76.0%

→ ↓0.7%

28 yrs75.3%

→ ↑4.0%

29 yrs79.3%

→ ↓7.3%

30 yrs72.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
19 yrs	61.6%	968
20 yrs	63.3%	847
21 yrs	65.1%	745
22 yrs	67.0%	634
23 yrs	69.5%	570
24 yrs	67.9%	505
25 yrs	69.9%	495
26 yrs	73.3%	445
27 yrs	76.0%	129
28 yrs	75.3%	93
29 yrs	79.3%	87
30 yrs	72.0%	75

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1990 Mercedes 300 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (30 yrs)	72%	75
2019 (29 yrs)	79.3%	87
2018 (28 yrs)	75.3%	93
2017 (27 yrs)	76%	129
2016 (26 yrs)	73.3%	445
2015 (25 yrs)	69.9%	495
2014 (24 yrs)	67.9%	505
2013 (23 yrs)	69.5%	570
2012 (22 yrs)	67%	634
2011 (21 yrs)	65.1%	745
2010 (20 yrs)	63.3%	847
2009 (19 yrs)	61.6%	968

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

61.6%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 968Avg Mileage 128,607Top Failure Brakes — 20.6%

2010High Fail Rate

63.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 847Avg Mileage 128,069Top Failure Brakes — 19.0%

2011

65.1%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 745Avg Mileage 124,867Top Failure Brakes — 16.9%

2012

67.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 634Avg Mileage 119,837Top Failure Brakes — 17.8%

2013

69.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 570Avg Mileage 121,202Top Failure Brakes — 38.9%

2014

67.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 505Avg Mileage 118,928Top Failure Suspension — 32.9%

2015

69.9%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 495Avg Mileage 116,410Top Failure Brakes — 32.1%

2016

73.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 445Avg Mileage 116,845Top Failure Brakes — 35.3%

2017

76.0%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 129Avg Mileage 117,171Top Failure Brakes — 37.2%

2018

75.3%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 93Avg Mileage 109,970Top Failure Suspension — 29.0%

2019

79.3%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 87Avg Mileage 112,133Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.3%

2020

72.0%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 75Avg Mileage 116,592Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 32.0%

MOT results for 1990 Mercedes 300 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	19	61.6%	968	128,607	Brakes — 20.6%
2010	20	63.3%	847	128,069	Brakes — 19.0%
2011	21	65.1%	745	124,867	Brakes — 16.9%
2012	22	67.0%	634	119,837	Brakes — 17.8%
2013	23	69.5%	570	121,202	Brakes — 38.9%
2014	24	67.9%	505	118,928	Suspension — 32.9%
2015	25	69.9%	495	116,410	Brakes — 32.1%
2016	26	73.3%	445	116,845	Brakes — 35.3%
2017	27	76.0%	129	117,171	Brakes — 37.2%
2018	28	75.3%	93	109,970	Suspension — 29.0%
2019	29	79.3%	87	112,133	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 25.3%
2020	30	72.0%	75	116,592	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 32.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1990 Mercedes 300, with age trends.

Brakes

26.6%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

25.6%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

23.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

20.4%

↓ Decreases with age

Visibility

12.0%

— Consistent

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% (19 yrs)	22.7% (30 yrs)	+6.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	20.6% (19 yrs)	26.7% (30 yrs)	+6.1%	🔴 ↑

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 1990 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 5,593 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.