1998 Mercedes E 280 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

60.5%

Latest Pass Rate

4,636

Total Tests (All Years)

117,222 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 1998 Mercedes E 280 as it ages.

11 yrs63.6%

→ ↓3.8%

12 yrs59.8%

→ ↑2.5%

13 yrs62.3%

→ ↓2.5%

14 yrs59.8%

→ ↓2.4%

15 yrs57.4%

→ ↑1.3%

16 yrs58.7%

→ ↑1.2%

17 yrs59.9%

→ ↓1.5%

18 yrs58.4%

→ ↓3.1%

19 yrs55.3%

→ ↑7.0%

20 yrs62.3%

→ ↓3.2%

21 yrs59.1%

→ ↑1.4%

22 yrs60.5%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	63.6%	868
12 yrs	59.8%	804
13 yrs	62.3%	700
14 yrs	59.8%	589
15 yrs	57.4%	472
16 yrs	58.7%	387
17 yrs	59.9%	322
18 yrs	58.4%	274
19 yrs	55.3%	85
20 yrs	62.3%	53
21 yrs	59.1%	44
22 yrs	60.5%	38

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1998 Mercedes E 280 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (22 yrs)	60.5%	38
2019 (21 yrs)	59.1%	44
2018 (20 yrs)	62.3%	53
2017 (19 yrs)	55.3%	85
2016 (18 yrs)	58.4%	274
2015 (17 yrs)	59.9%	322
2014 (16 yrs)	58.7%	387
2013 (15 yrs)	57.4%	472
2012 (14 yrs)	59.8%	589
2011 (13 yrs)	62.3%	700
2010 (12 yrs)	59.8%	804
2009 (11 yrs)	63.6%	868

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

63.6%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 868Avg Mileage 107,275Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.0%

2010High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 804Avg Mileage 112,951Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.8%

2011High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 700Avg Mileage 115,644Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.3%

2012High Fail Rate

59.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 589Avg Mileage 115,530Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.2%

2013High Fail Rate

57.4%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 472Avg Mileage 116,571Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.1%

2014High Fail Rate

58.7%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 387Avg Mileage 115,881Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.3%

2015High Fail Rate

59.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 322Avg Mileage 114,404Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 52.2%

2016High Fail Rate

58.4%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 274Avg Mileage 117,885Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 54.7%

2017High Fail Rate

55.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 85Avg Mileage 114,514Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.7%

2018High Fail Rate

62.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 53Avg Mileage 105,582Top Failure Brakes — 56.6%

2019High Fail Rate

59.1%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 44Avg Mileage 114,063Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.1%

2020High Fail Rate

60.5%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 38Avg Mileage 117,222Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 65.8%

MOT results for 1998 Mercedes E 280 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	63.6%	868	107,275	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.0%
2010	12	59.8%	804	112,951	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 21.8%
2011	13	62.3%	700	115,644	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 23.3%
2012	14	59.8%	589	115,530	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 20.2%
2013	15	57.4%	472	116,571	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 48.1%
2014	16	58.7%	387	115,881	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 56.3%
2015	17	59.9%	322	114,404	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 52.2%
2016	18	58.4%	274	117,885	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 54.7%
2017	19	55.3%	85	114,514	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 64.7%
2018	20	62.3%	53	105,582	Brakes — 56.6%
2019	21	59.1%	44	114,063	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 59.1%
2020	22	60.5%	38	117,222	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 65.8%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1998 Mercedes E 280, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

52.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

38.0%

— Consistent

Brakes

30.7%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

29.8%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

22.8%

↑ 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	13.5% (11 yrs)	34.2% (22 yrs)	+20.7%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	13.0% (11 yrs)	28.9% (22 yrs)	+15.9%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

← Back to Mercedes E 280 overview

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 4,636 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.