1997 Mercedes C 180 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

67.5%

Latest Pass Rate

34,708

Total Tests (All Years)

115,391 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 1997 Mercedes C 180 as it ages.

12 yrs61.4%

→ ↓1.5%

13 yrs59.9%

→ ↑0.4%

14 yrs60.3%

→ ↓1.9%

15 yrs58.4%

→ ↑0.8%

16 yrs59.2%

→ ↑2.5%

17 yrs61.7%

→ ↓0.7%

18 yrs61.0%

→ ↑3.3%

19 yrs64.3%

→ ↓1.0%

20 yrs63.3%

→ ↑0.9%

21 yrs64.2%

→ ↓1.5%

22 yrs62.7%

→ ↑4.8%

23 yrs67.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	61.4%	6,373
13 yrs	59.9%	5,735
14 yrs	60.3%	5,112
15 yrs	58.4%	4,197
16 yrs	59.2%	3,367
17 yrs	61.7%	2,741
18 yrs	61.0%	2,195
19 yrs	64.3%	1,782
20 yrs	63.3%	1,321
21 yrs	64.2%	732
22 yrs	62.7%	633
23 yrs	67.5%	520

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Mercedes C 180 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (23 yrs)	67.5%	520
2019 (22 yrs)	62.7%	633
2018 (21 yrs)	64.2%	732
2017 (20 yrs)	63.3%	1,321
2016 (19 yrs)	64.3%	1,782
2015 (18 yrs)	61%	2,195
2014 (17 yrs)	61.7%	2,741
2013 (16 yrs)	59.2%	3,367
2012 (15 yrs)	58.4%	4,197
2011 (14 yrs)	60.3%	5,112
2010 (13 yrs)	59.9%	5,735
2009 (12 yrs)	61.4%	6,373

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

61.4%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 6,373Avg Mileage 108,132Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.5%

2010High Fail Rate

59.9%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 5,735Avg Mileage 113,192Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.8%

2011High Fail Rate

60.3%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 5,112Avg Mileage 115,773Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.2%

2012High Fail Rate

58.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 4,197Avg Mileage 116,379Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.5%

2013High Fail Rate

59.2%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 3,367Avg Mileage 116,538Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.8%

2014High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 2,741Avg Mileage 116,901Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.3%

2015High Fail Rate

61.0%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 2,195Avg Mileage 117,680Top Failure Brakes — 46.7%

2016High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 1,782Avg Mileage 117,570Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.7%

2017High Fail Rate

63.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 1,321Avg Mileage 116,671Top Failure Brakes — 40.7%

2018High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 732Avg Mileage 114,165Top Failure Suspension — 44.0%

2019High Fail Rate

62.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 633Avg Mileage 114,011Top Failure Suspension — 48.8%

2020

67.5%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 520Avg Mileage 115,391Top Failure Suspension — 41.9%

MOT results for 1997 Mercedes C 180 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	61.4%	6,373	108,132	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.5%
2010	13	59.9%	5,735	113,192	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.8%
2011	14	60.3%	5,112	115,773	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.2%
2012	15	58.4%	4,197	116,379	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.5%
2013	16	59.2%	3,367	116,538	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 50.8%
2014	17	61.7%	2,741	116,901	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 49.3%
2015	18	61.0%	2,195	117,680	Brakes — 46.7%
2016	19	64.3%	1,782	117,570	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 40.7%
2017	20	63.3%	1,321	116,671	Brakes — 40.7%
2018	21	64.2%	732	114,165	Suspension — 44.0%
2019	22	62.7%	633	114,011	Suspension — 48.8%
2020	23	67.5%	520	115,391	Suspension — 41.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Mercedes C 180, with age trends.

Brakes

35.1%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

32.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.8%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

21.0%

↑ 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	13.9% (12 yrs)	41.9% (23 yrs)	+28.0%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	17.0% (12 yrs)	37.3% (23 yrs)	+20.3%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	14.1% (12 yrs)	21.3% (23 yrs)	+7.2%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes C 180 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes C 180 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 34,708 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.