Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto MOT Pass Rate
Overall pass rate across all manufacture years, based on 2,543 real MOT test results. Failure rate: 35.2%.
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto MOT Reliability Overview
The Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,543 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 6 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 64.8% and a failure rate of 35.2%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
Based on this data, the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto earns a "Average" reliability rating. The average Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto presents for MOT with approximately 78,636 miles on the clock. Manufacture year matters: 2008 models achieve the highest pass rate at 73.7%, while 2004 models have the lowest at 55.1%. This 18.6 percentage point difference suggests notable variation in build quality or component durability across production years.
The most common MOT failure for the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto is Suspension, affecting 26.3% of all tests. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. The second most common issue is Tyres at 20.1%. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment rounds out the top three at 19.7%. Together, these top 3 failure categories account for a significant portion of all MOT failures for this model.
Top failures across all manufacture years combined. Individual year pages may show different top failures.
What Fails Most
Best Year to Buy
📈 How Each Vintage Ages
📉 How Age Affects Reliability
MOT failure rate by vehicle age for the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto. The dashed red line marks when the manufacturer warranty typically expires (3 years).
Line chart showing MOT failure rate by vehicle age from 3 to 11 years, with warranty expiry marked at 3 years.
💡 What does the warranty cliff mean?
The Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto sees a significant jump in MOT failures after the warranty period. Failure rate increases by 63% once warranty cover ends. Budget for increased maintenance costs from year 4 onwards. Peak failure occurs at age 10 (45.4% fail rate).
Note: pass rates may improve for very old vehicles due to survivorship bias — only well-maintained cars remain on the road.
Pass Rate by Manufacture Year
* High Fail Rate badge indicates an MOT pass rate below 65% (failure rate above 35%).
What Fails on This Car?
Click a category to see specific failure items.
View as table
| Rank | Failure Category | Rate (%) | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suspension | 28.5% | 726 |
| 2 | Tyres | 25.1% | 638 |
| 3 | Lamps, Reflectors And Electrical Equipment | 23.6% | 601 |
| 4 | Brakes | 21.5% | 546 |
| 5 | Driver's View Of The Road | 5.9% | 151 |
| 6 | Steering | 5.9% | 149 |
| 7 | Seat Belts And Supplementary Restraint Systems | 1.6% | 41 |
| 8 | Exhaust, Fuel And Emissions | 1.5% | 38 |
| 9 | Road Wheels | 1.3% | 34 |
| 10 | Registration Plates And Vin | 1.3% | 33 |
| 11 | Non-component Advisories | 0.3% | 7 |
| 12 | Body, Structure And General Items | 0.2% | 5 |
| 13 | Items Not Tested | 0.1% | 2 |
Failures per 10,000 Miles
avg. 78,636 miFor every 10,000 miles driven, this shows what percentage of MOT tests fail for each category. This accounts for how far cars are actually driven, not just raw pass/fail counts.
View as table
| Category | Rate / 10K mi | Raw % | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 3.63 | 28.5% | 726 |
| Tyres | 3.19 | 25.1% | 638 |
| Lamps & Electrical | 3.01 | 23.6% | 601 |
| Brakes | 2.73 | 21.5% | 546 |
| Visibility | 0.76 | 5.9% | 151 |
| Steering | 0.75 | 5.9% | 149 |
| Seat Belts | 0.21 | 1.6% | 41 |
| Emissions & Exhaust | 0.19 | 1.5% | 38 |
| Wheels | 0.17 | 1.3% | 34 |
| Registration Plates and VIN | 0.17 | 1.3% | 33 |
| Non-component advisories | 0.04 | 0.3% | 7 |
| Body & Structure | 0.03 | 0.2% | 5 |
| Items Not Tested | 0.01 | 0.1% | 2 |
🚗 Similar Cars to Consider
Mileage at MOT
The average Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto has 78,636 miles when tested for MOT.
📊 Mileage-Adjusted Failure Rate
How often this car fails MOT relative to how much it's driven — a fairer comparison than raw pass rate.
The Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto has a mileage-adjusted failure rate of 4.48% per 10,000 miles driven. The average across all makes is 5.38%, so this model is better than average.
About Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto MOT Data
The Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto is a niche vehicle in the UK, with 2,543 MOT test results recorded in our database spanning 6 manufacture years. It has an overall MOT pass rate of 64.8% and a failure rate of 35.2%, which is around the UK average of approximately 37%.
For Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto owners, these results suggest average reliability — some preparation before MOT can improve pass chances. Focus your pre-MOT checks on suspension and tyres for the best chance of a first-time pass. Use our detailed year-by-year breakdown and failure analysis below to understand how your specific C200 Cdi Se Auto is likely to perform.
Suspension — 26.3% of failures
Suspension issues account for 26.3% of MOT failures on the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto. Suspension failures typically involve worn bushes, leaking shock absorbers, broken coil springs, and damaged suspension arms. These affect ride quality, tyre wear, and road holding. Typical repair costs: £200–500. Pre-MOT check: Look for uneven tyre wear, listen for clunking over bumps, and check if the car pulls to one side. A bouncy ride suggests worn shock absorbers. Visually inspect coil springs for cracks.
Tyres — 20.1% of failures
Tyres issues account for 20.1% of MOT failures on the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto. Tyre failures include tread depth below the legal minimum of 1.6mm, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and incorrect tyre pressure. Tyres are one of the most common and easiest-to-prevent MOT failures. Typical repair costs: £50–200 per tyre. Pre-MOT check: Check tread depth with a 20p coin — if the outer band is visible, the tyre is too worn. Look for bulges, cuts, or embedded objects. Ensure all tyres match the recommended size and load rating.
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 19.7% of failures
Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment issues account for 19.7% of MOT failures on the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto. Lighting failures cover all external lights: headlights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, fog lights, and reflectors. A single blown bulb will cause an MOT fail. This is one of the most preventable failure categories. Typical repair costs: £5–50. Pre-MOT check: Walk around the car and check every light — headlights (dipped and main beam), side lights, tail lights, brake lights, indicators, hazard lights, reverse light, rear fog light, and number plate lights. Replace any blown bulbs before the test.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the MOT pass rate for the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto?
Based on 2,543 MOT tests in our database, the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto has an overall pass rate of 64.8% (35.2% fail rate).
What are the most common MOT failures on a Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto?
The top 3 reasons a Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto fails its MOT are: 1. Suspension (26.3%), 2. Tyres (20.1%), 3. Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (19.7%). Check these areas before booking your MOT.
Is the Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto reliable?
With a 35.2% MOT failure rate, the C200 Cdi Se Auto is about average compared to the UK average of ~40%.
What should I check before an MOT on my Mercedes C200 Cdi Se Auto?
Based on failure data, focus on: Suspension (26.3%); Tyres (20.1%); Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment (19.7%). These are the areas most likely to cause a fail. Also check all lights, tyres (minimum 1.6mm tread), and windscreen condition — these are quick wins that apply to all cars.
Based on DVSA anonymised MOT test data (2005–2024). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.