1983 Mercedes 380 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1983 perform at MOT as they age

43 years

Current Age

83.3%

Latest Pass Rate

1,178

Total Tests (All Years)

88,320 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for 380

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1983 Mercedes 380 as it ages.

26 yrs58.3%

→ ↑4.9%

27 yrs63.2%

→ ↑6.9%

28 yrs70.1%

→ ↓6.5%

29 yrs63.6%

→ ↑2.2%

30 yrs65.8%

→ ↑9.0%

31 yrs74.8%

→ ↓9.8%

32 yrs65.0%

→ ↑6.8%

33 yrs71.8%

→ ↑4.1%

34 yrs75.9%

→ ↓2.4%

35 yrs73.5%

→ ↑1.5%

36 yrs75.0%

→ ↑8.3%

37 yrs83.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
26 yrs	58.3%	156
27 yrs	63.2%	133
28 yrs	70.1%	137
29 yrs	63.6%	132
30 yrs	65.8%	120
31 yrs	74.8%	111
32 yrs	65.0%	117
33 yrs	71.8%	110
34 yrs	75.9%	54
35 yrs	73.5%	34
36 yrs	75.0%	44
37 yrs	83.3%	30

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1983 Mercedes 380 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (37 yrs)	83.3%	30
2019 (36 yrs)	75%	44
2018 (35 yrs)	73.5%	34
2017 (34 yrs)	75.9%	54
2016 (33 yrs)	71.8%	110
2015 (32 yrs)	65%	117
2014 (31 yrs)	74.8%	111
2013 (30 yrs)	65.8%	120
2012 (29 yrs)	63.6%	132
2011 (28 yrs)	70.1%	137
2010 (27 yrs)	63.2%	133
2009 (26 yrs)	58.3%	156

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

58.3%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 156Avg Mileage 99,936Top Failure Brakes — 21.2%

2010High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 133Avg Mileage 95,786Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.8%

2011

70.1%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 137Avg Mileage 94,455Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.6%

2012High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 132Avg Mileage 92,464Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.7%

2013

65.8%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 120Avg Mileage 93,630Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.7%

2014

74.8%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 111Avg Mileage 90,436Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.0%

2015

65.0%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 117Avg Mileage 91,950Top Failure Suspension — 41.9%

2016

71.8%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 110Avg Mileage 90,505Top Failure Brakes — 37.3%

2017

75.9%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 54Avg Mileage 94,257Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 55.6%

2018

73.5%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 34Avg Mileage 104,534Top Failure Brakes — 29.4%

2019

75.0%

Age (yrs) 36Tests 44Avg Mileage 100,714Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 34.1%

2020

83.3%

Age (yrs) 37Tests 30Avg Mileage 88,320Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 26.7%

MOT results for 1983 Mercedes 380 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	26	58.3%	156	99,936	Brakes — 21.2%
2010	27	63.2%	133	95,786	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.8%
2011	28	70.1%	137	94,455	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.6%
2012	29	63.6%	132	92,464	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.7%
2013	30	65.8%	120	93,630	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 46.7%
2014	31	74.8%	111	90,436	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 36.0%
2015	32	65.0%	117	91,950	Suspension — 41.9%
2016	33	71.8%	110	90,505	Brakes — 37.3%
2017	34	75.9%	54	94,257	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 55.6%
2018	35	73.5%	34	104,534	Brakes — 29.4%
2019	36	75.0%	44	100,714	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 34.1%
2020	37	83.3%	30	88,320	Body, chassis, structure — 26.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1983 Mercedes 380, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

30.0%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

23.9%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

22.9%

↑ Increases with age

Body, chassis, structure

20.0%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

19.3%

↓ 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	14.1% (26 yrs)	3.3% (37 yrs)	-10.8%	🟢 ↓
Tyres	9.0% (26 yrs)	10.0% (37 yrs)	+1.0%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985

← Back to Mercedes 380 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes 380 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes 380 cars manufactured in 1983 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,178 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.