2002 Mercedes S 280 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2002 perform at MOT as they age

24 years

Current Age

64.3%

Latest Pass Rate

1,200

Total Tests (All Years)

110,700 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 18

This car: 64.3%

Average: 54.3%

✅ 10.0% above average (8383 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2002 Mercedes S 280 as it ages.

7 yrs77.6%

→ ↓3.2%

8 yrs74.4%

→ ↓1.9%

9 yrs72.5%

→ ↑8.0%

10 yrs80.5%

→ ↓16.7%

11 yrs63.8%

→ ↑8.0%

12 yrs71.8%

→ ↓6.7%

13 yrs65.1%

→ ↓0.9%

14 yrs64.2%

→ ↓2.9%

15 yrs61.3%

→ ↑7.7%

16 yrs69.0%

→ ↓1.0%

17 yrs68.0%

→ ↓3.7%

18 yrs64.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
7 yrs	77.6%	143
8 yrs	74.4%	133
9 yrs	72.5%	131
10 yrs	80.5%	123
11 yrs	63.8%	116
12 yrs	71.8%	110
13 yrs	65.1%	106
14 yrs	64.2%	95
15 yrs	61.3%	93
16 yrs	69.0%	58
17 yrs	68.0%	50
18 yrs	64.3%	42

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2002 Mercedes S 280 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (18 yrs)	64.3%	42
2019 (17 yrs)	68%	50
2018 (16 yrs)	69%	58
2017 (15 yrs)	61.3%	93
2016 (14 yrs)	64.2%	95
2015 (13 yrs)	65.1%	106
2014 (12 yrs)	71.8%	110
2013 (11 yrs)	63.8%	116
2012 (10 yrs)	80.5%	123
2011 (9 yrs)	72.5%	131
2010 (8 yrs)	74.4%	133
2009 (7 yrs)	77.6%	143

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

77.6%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 143Avg Mileage 68,859Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.3%

2010

74.4%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 133Avg Mileage 75,724Top Failure Tyres — 12.8%

2011

72.5%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 131Avg Mileage 82,806Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%

2012

80.5%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 123Avg Mileage 85,195Top Failure Brakes — 11.4%

2013High Fail Rate

63.8%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 116Avg Mileage 92,110Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.3%

2014

71.8%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 110Avg Mileage 93,185Top Failure Tyres — 35.5%

2015

65.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 106Avg Mileage 96,629Top Failure Brakes — 44.3%

2016High Fail Rate

64.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 95Avg Mileage 97,700Top Failure Brakes — 36.8%

2017High Fail Rate

61.3%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 93Avg Mileage 103,368Top Failure Brakes — 75.3%

2018

69.0%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 58Avg Mileage 104,240Top Failure Brakes — 50.0%

2019

68.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 50Avg Mileage 104,028Top Failure Suspension — 44.0%

2020High Fail Rate

64.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 42Avg Mileage 110,700Top Failure Suspension — 42.9%

MOT results for 2002 Mercedes S 280 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	7	77.6%	143	68,859	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.3%
2010	8	74.4%	133	75,724	Tyres — 12.8%
2011	9	72.5%	131	82,806	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 16.0%
2012	10	80.5%	123	85,195	Brakes — 11.4%
2013	11	63.8%	116	92,110	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 35.3%
2014	12	71.8%	110	93,185	Tyres — 35.5%
2015	13	65.1%	106	96,629	Brakes — 44.3%
2016	14	64.2%	95	97,700	Brakes — 36.8%
2017	15	61.3%	93	103,368	Brakes — 75.3%
2018	16	69.0%	58	104,240	Brakes — 50.0%
2019	17	68.0%	50	104,028	Suspension — 44.0%
2020	18	64.3%	42	110,700	Suspension — 42.9%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2002 Mercedes S 280, with age trends.

Brakes

30.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

21.7%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

20.4%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

19.9%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.4%

↓ Decreases 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	6.3% (7 yrs)	42.9% (18 yrs)	+36.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	6.3% (7 yrs)	26.2% (18 yrs)	+19.9%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	10.5% (7 yrs)	16.7% (18 yrs)	+6.2%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

← Back to Mercedes S 280 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes S 280 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes S 280 cars manufactured in 2002 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,200 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.