1985 Mercedes 500 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1985 perform at MOT as they age

41 years

Current Age

83.3%

Latest Pass Rate

1,560

Total Tests (All Years)

101,952 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 500 as it ages.

24 yrs65.7%

→ ↓2.5%

25 yrs63.2%

→ ↑2.5%

26 yrs65.7%

→ ↓2.3%

27 yrs63.4%

→ ↑3.5%

28 yrs66.9%

→ ↑4.9%

29 yrs71.8%

→ ↓7.9%

30 yrs63.9%

→ ↑2.1%

31 yrs66.0%

→ ↑7.8%

32 yrs73.8%

→ ↓1.3%

33 yrs72.5%

→ ↑2.5%

34 yrs75.0%

→ ↑8.3%

35 yrs83.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
24 yrs	65.7%	201
25 yrs	63.2%	182
26 yrs	65.7%	172
27 yrs	63.4%	175
28 yrs	66.9%	178
29 yrs	71.8%	163
30 yrs	63.9%	155
31 yrs	66.0%	153
32 yrs	73.8%	65
33 yrs	72.5%	40
34 yrs	75.0%	40
35 yrs	83.3%	36

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1985 Mercedes 500 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (35 yrs)	83.3%	36
2019 (34 yrs)	75%	40
2018 (33 yrs)	72.5%	40
2017 (32 yrs)	73.8%	65
2016 (31 yrs)	66%	153
2015 (30 yrs)	63.9%	155
2014 (29 yrs)	71.8%	163
2013 (28 yrs)	66.9%	178
2012 (27 yrs)	63.4%	175
2011 (26 yrs)	65.7%	172
2010 (25 yrs)	63.2%	182
2009 (24 yrs)	65.7%	201

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

65.7%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 201Avg Mileage 96,609Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.4%

2010High Fail Rate

63.2%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 182Avg Mileage 98,727Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.7%

2011

65.7%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 172Avg Mileage 99,764Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.7%

2012High Fail Rate

63.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 175Avg Mileage 100,244Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.0%

2013

66.9%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 178Avg Mileage 95,324Top Failure Suspension — 46.1%

2014

71.8%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 163Avg Mileage 99,169Top Failure Suspension — 35.6%

2015High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 155Avg Mileage 99,038Top Failure Brakes — 45.8%

2016

66.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 153Avg Mileage 101,183Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.3%

2017

73.8%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 65Avg Mileage 98,827Top Failure Suspension — 24.6%

2018

72.5%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 40Avg Mileage 93,475Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 35.0%

2019

75.0%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 40Avg Mileage 89,512Top Failure Suspension — 37.5%

2020

83.3%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 36Avg Mileage 101,952Top Failure Brakes — 25.0%

MOT results for 1985 Mercedes 500 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	24	65.7%	201	96,609	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 18.4%
2010	25	63.2%	182	98,727	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.7%
2011	26	65.7%	172	99,764	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.7%
2012	27	63.4%	175	100,244	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.0%
2013	28	66.9%	178	95,324	Suspension — 46.1%
2014	29	71.8%	163	99,169	Suspension — 35.6%
2015	30	63.9%	155	99,038	Brakes — 45.8%
2016	31	66.0%	153	101,183	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.3%
2017	32	73.8%	65	98,827	Suspension — 24.6%
2018	33	72.5%	40	93,475	Body, chassis, structure — 35.0%
2019	34	75.0%	40	89,512	Suspension — 37.5%
2020	35	83.3%	36	101,952	Brakes — 25.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1985 Mercedes 500, with age trends.

Body, chassis, structure

30.0%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

27.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

25.7%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

23.3%

— Consistent

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

21.5%

↓ 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
Brakes	17.9% (24 yrs)	25.0% (35 yrs)	+7.1%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	10.0% (24 yrs)	8.3% (35 yrs)	-1.7%	⚪ —

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes 500 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes 500 cars manufactured in 1985 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,560 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.