1997 Mercedes C 240 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age

29 years

Current Age

66.2%

Latest Pass Rate

4,682

Total Tests (All Years)

113,721 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 240 as it ages.

12 yrs65.0%

→ ↓1.1%

13 yrs63.9%

→ ↓1.7%

14 yrs62.2%

→ ↓0.0%

15 yrs62.2%

→ ↓5.4%

16 yrs56.8%

→ ↑4.9%

17 yrs61.7%

→ ↓0.0%

18 yrs61.7%

→ ↑5.5%

19 yrs67.2%

→ ↑1.8%

20 yrs69.0%

→ ↑1.9%

21 yrs70.9%

→ ↓0.5%

22 yrs70.4%

→ ↓4.2%

23 yrs66.2%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
12 yrs	65.0%	786
13 yrs	63.9%	722
14 yrs	62.2%	667
15 yrs	62.2%	585
16 yrs	56.8%	482
17 yrs	61.7%	397
18 yrs	61.7%	329
19 yrs	67.2%	271
20 yrs	69.0%	174
21 yrs	70.9%	103
22 yrs	70.4%	98
23 yrs	66.2%	68

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1997 Mercedes C 240 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (23 yrs)	66.2%	68
2019 (22 yrs)	70.4%	98
2018 (21 yrs)	70.9%	103
2017 (20 yrs)	69%	174
2016 (19 yrs)	67.2%	271
2015 (18 yrs)	61.7%	329
2014 (17 yrs)	61.7%	397
2013 (16 yrs)	56.8%	482
2012 (15 yrs)	62.2%	585
2011 (14 yrs)	62.2%	667
2010 (13 yrs)	63.9%	722
2009 (12 yrs)	65%	786

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

65.0%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 786Avg Mileage 105,337Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.9%

2010High Fail Rate

63.9%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 722Avg Mileage 110,469Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.9%

2011High Fail Rate

62.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 667Avg Mileage 114,301Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.2%

2012High Fail Rate

62.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 585Avg Mileage 118,112Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.4%

2013High Fail Rate

56.8%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 482Avg Mileage 117,846Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.7%

2014High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 397Avg Mileage 117,280Top Failure Brakes — 47.1%

2015High Fail Rate

61.7%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 329Avg Mileage 120,540Top Failure Suspension — 43.5%

2016

67.2%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 271Avg Mileage 116,433Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.1%

2017

69.0%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 174Avg Mileage 115,173Top Failure Suspension — 40.2%

2018

70.9%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 103Avg Mileage 114,149Top Failure Brakes — 46.6%

2019

70.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 98Avg Mileage 115,450Top Failure Suspension — 29.6%

2020

66.2%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 68Avg Mileage 113,721Top Failure Suspension — 70.6%

MOT results for 1997 Mercedes C 240 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	12	65.0%	786	105,337	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 22.9%
2010	13	63.9%	722	110,469	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.9%
2011	14	62.2%	667	114,301	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 25.2%
2012	15	62.2%	585	118,112	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 24.4%
2013	16	56.8%	482	117,846	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 58.7%
2014	17	61.7%	397	117,280	Brakes — 47.1%
2015	18	61.7%	329	120,540	Suspension — 43.5%
2016	19	67.2%	271	116,433	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 39.1%
2017	20	69.0%	174	115,173	Suspension — 40.2%
2018	21	70.9%	103	114,149	Brakes — 46.6%
2019	22	70.4%	98	115,450	Suspension — 29.6%
2020	23	66.2%	68	113,721	Suspension — 70.6%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Mercedes C 240, with age trends.

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

34.9%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

31.7%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

31.5%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

30.9%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

19.7%

↑ 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	12.3% (12 yrs)	70.6% (23 yrs)	+58.3%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	14.5% (12 yrs)	45.6% (23 yrs)	+31.1%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	12.7% (12 yrs)	26.5% (23 yrs)	+13.8%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

← Back to Mercedes C 240 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes C 240 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes C 240 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 4,682 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.