1987 Mercedes 420 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age

39 years

Current Age

77.1%

Latest Pass Rate

1,731

Total Tests (All Years)

97,975 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 1987 Mercedes 420 as it ages.

22 yrs63.4%

→ ↑4.8%

23 yrs68.2%

→ ↓2.6%

24 yrs65.6%

→ ↓2.0%

25 yrs63.6%

→ ↑7.1%

26 yrs70.7%

→ ↓4.0%

27 yrs66.7%

→ ↑5.7%

28 yrs72.4%

→ ↓0.2%

29 yrs72.2%

→ ↑4.5%

30 yrs76.7%

→ ↓1.7%

31 yrs75.0%

→ ↓6.8%

32 yrs68.2%

→ ↑8.9%

33 yrs77.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
22 yrs	63.4%	227
23 yrs	68.2%	211
24 yrs	65.6%	209
25 yrs	63.6%	209
26 yrs	70.7%	191
27 yrs	66.7%	177
28 yrs	72.4%	163
29 yrs	72.2%	169
30 yrs	76.7%	60
31 yrs	75.0%	36
32 yrs	68.2%	44
33 yrs	77.1%	35

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1987 Mercedes 420 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (33 yrs)	77.1%	35
2019 (32 yrs)	68.2%	44
2018 (31 yrs)	75%	36
2017 (30 yrs)	76.7%	60
2016 (29 yrs)	72.2%	169
2015 (28 yrs)	72.4%	163
2014 (27 yrs)	66.7%	177
2013 (26 yrs)	70.7%	191
2012 (25 yrs)	63.6%	209
2011 (24 yrs)	65.6%	209
2010 (23 yrs)	68.2%	211
2009 (22 yrs)	63.4%	227

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

63.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 227Avg Mileage 103,486Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.3%

2010

68.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 211Avg Mileage 100,446Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.5%

2011

65.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 209Avg Mileage 99,679Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.1%

2012High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 209Avg Mileage 97,600Top Failure Suspension — 19.6%

2013

70.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 191Avg Mileage 97,871Top Failure Brakes — 34.0%

2014

66.7%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 177Avg Mileage 97,086Top Failure Suspension — 35.0%

2015

72.4%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 163Avg Mileage 95,145Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.4%

2016

72.2%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 169Avg Mileage 95,486Top Failure Brakes — 26.6%

2017

76.7%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 60Avg Mileage 95,133Top Failure Brakes — 38.3%

2018

75.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 36Avg Mileage 96,444Top Failure Tyres — 22.2%

2019

68.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 44Avg Mileage 99,186Top Failure Suspension — 47.7%

2020

77.1%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 35Avg Mileage 97,975Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.7%

MOT results for 1987 Mercedes 420 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	22	63.4%	227	103,486	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.3%
2010	23	68.2%	211	100,446	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 17.5%
2011	24	65.6%	209	99,679	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.1%
2012	25	63.6%	209	97,600	Suspension — 19.6%
2013	26	70.7%	191	97,871	Brakes — 34.0%
2014	27	66.7%	177	97,086	Suspension — 35.0%
2015	28	72.4%	163	95,145	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.4%
2016	29	72.2%	169	95,486	Brakes — 26.6%
2017	30	76.7%	60	95,133	Brakes — 38.3%
2018	31	75.0%	36	96,444	Tyres — 22.2%
2019	32	68.2%	44	99,186	Suspension — 47.7%
2020	33	77.1%	35	97,975	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 45.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1987 Mercedes 420, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

39.9%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

24.2%

— Consistent

Suspension

23.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

23.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

22.2%

↑ 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	14.5% (22 yrs)	34.3% (33 yrs)	+19.8%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	17.2% (22 yrs)	17.1% (33 yrs)	-0.1%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991

← Back to Mercedes 420 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes 420 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes 420 cars manufactured in 1987 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,731 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.