1997 Mercedes E 280 — MOT History by Age
How cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age
Data from official DVSA MOT testing records
Compared to Average at Age 20
✅ 3.0% above average (6824 models compared)
How This Car Ages
Pass rate progression for the 1997 Mercedes E 280 as it ages.
Bar chart showing pass rate by car age from 12 to 20 years
📊 View as table
| Age | Pass Rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| 12 yrs | 60.7% | 852 |
| 13 yrs | 61.3% | 745 |
| 14 yrs | 53.6% | 627 |
| 15 yrs | 59.1% | 467 |
| 16 yrs | 57.7% | 350 |
| 17 yrs | 60.4% | 280 |
| 18 yrs | 61.7% | 222 |
| 19 yrs | 67.6% | 182 |
| 20 yrs | 59.6% | 52 |
Pass Rate Trend
How the 1997 Mercedes E 280 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.
Trend shows declining over 9 years
📊 View as table
| Built | Pass Rate | Tests |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 (20 yrs) | 59.6% | 52 |
| 2016 (19 yrs) | 67.6% | 182 |
| 2015 (18 yrs) | 61.7% | 222 |
| 2014 (17 yrs) | 60.4% | 280 |
| 2013 (16 yrs) | 57.7% | 350 |
| 2012 (15 yrs) | 59.1% | 467 |
| 2011 (14 yrs) | 53.6% | 627 |
| 2010 (13 yrs) | 61.3% | 745 |
| 2009 (12 yrs) | 60.7% | 852 |
Year-by-Year MOT Results
Common MOT Failures
Top failure categories across all test years for 1997 Mercedes E 280, with age trends.
How Failures Change With Age
Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.
| Category | At Youngest | At Oldest | Change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 18.3% (12 yrs) | 44.2% (20 yrs) | +25.9%
| 🔴 ↑ |
| Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment | 22.5% (12 yrs) | 48.1% (20 yrs) | +25.6%
| 🔴 ↑ |
| Brakes | 15.4% (12 yrs) | 36.5% (20 yrs) | +21.1%
| 🔴 ↑ |
| Tyres | 16.4% (12 yrs) | 23.1% (20 yrs) | +6.7%
| 🔴 ↑ |
| Driver's View of the Road | 13.3% (12 yrs) | 13.5% (20 yrs) | +0.2%
| ⚪ — |
Other Manufacture Years
Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes E 280 page →
About This Data
This page shows how Mercedes E 280 cars manufactured in 1997 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2017, covering 3,777 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.