2003 Mercedes S 280 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 2003 perform at MOT as they age

23 years

Current Age

68.3%

Latest Pass Rate

862

Total Tests (All Years)

112,050 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Compared to Average at Age 17

This car: 68.3%

Average: 53.5%

✅ 14.8% above average (9249 models compared)

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 2003 Mercedes S 280 as it ages.

6 yrs81.3%

→ ↓2.4%

7 yrs78.9%

→ ↓0.5%

8 yrs78.4%

→ ↓6.3%

9 yrs72.1%

→ ↑5.3%

10 yrs77.4%

→ ↓2.1%

11 yrs75.3%

→ ↓2.4%

12 yrs72.9%

→ ↑0.3%

13 yrs73.2%

→ ↓6.1%

14 yrs67.1%

→ ↓1.8%

15 yrs65.3%

→ ↓0.0%

16 yrs65.3%

→ ↑3.0%

17 yrs68.3%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
6 yrs	81.3%	91
7 yrs	78.9%	90
8 yrs	78.4%	88
9 yrs	72.1%	86
10 yrs	77.4%	84
11 yrs	75.3%	73
12 yrs	72.9%	70
13 yrs	73.2%	71
14 yrs	67.1%	70
15 yrs	65.3%	49
16 yrs	65.3%	49
17 yrs	68.3%	41

Pass Rate Trend

How the 2003 Mercedes S 280 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (17 yrs)	68.3%	41
2019 (16 yrs)	65.3%	49
2018 (15 yrs)	65.3%	49
2017 (14 yrs)	67.1%	70
2016 (13 yrs)	73.2%	71
2015 (12 yrs)	72.9%	70
2014 (11 yrs)	75.3%	73
2013 (10 yrs)	77.4%	84
2012 (9 yrs)	72.1%	86
2011 (8 yrs)	78.4%	88
2010 (7 yrs)	78.9%	90
2009 (6 yrs)	81.3%	91

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

81.3%

Age (yrs) 6Tests 91Avg Mileage 65,451Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.8%

2010

78.9%

Age (yrs) 7Tests 90Avg Mileage 67,040Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.4%

2011

78.4%

Age (yrs) 8Tests 88Avg Mileage 73,915Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.5%

2012

72.1%

Age (yrs) 9Tests 86Avg Mileage 81,370Top Failure Tyres — 15.1%

2013

77.4%

Age (yrs) 10Tests 84Avg Mileage 86,918Top Failure Brakes — 26.2%

2014

75.3%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 73Avg Mileage 90,996Top Failure Suspension — 24.7%

2015

72.9%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 70Avg Mileage 93,919Top Failure Tyres — 21.4%

2016

73.2%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 71Avg Mileage 100,923Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.4%

2017

67.1%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 70Avg Mileage 107,491Top Failure Brakes — 40.0%

2018

65.3%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 49Avg Mileage 118,646Top Failure Suspension — 36.7%

2019

65.3%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 49Avg Mileage 111,357Top Failure Suspension — 53.1%

2020

68.3%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 41Avg Mileage 112,050Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.7%

MOT results for 2003 Mercedes S 280 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	6	81.3%	91	65,451	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.8%
2010	7	78.9%	90	67,040	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.4%
2011	8	78.4%	88	73,915	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.5%
2012	9	72.1%	86	81,370	Tyres — 15.1%
2013	10	77.4%	84	86,918	Brakes — 26.2%
2014	11	75.3%	73	90,996	Suspension — 24.7%
2015	12	72.9%	70	93,919	Tyres — 21.4%
2016	13	73.2%	71	100,923	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 32.4%
2017	14	67.1%	70	107,491	Brakes — 40.0%
2018	15	65.3%	49	118,646	Suspension — 36.7%
2019	16	65.3%	49	111,357	Suspension — 53.1%
2020	17	68.3%	41	112,050	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 31.7%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 2003 Mercedes S 280, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

21.4%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

21.3%

↑ Increases with age

Brakes

19.5%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

18.0%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

14.4%

↑ 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	5.5% (6 yrs)	29.3% (17 yrs)	+23.8%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	7.7% (6 yrs)	29.3% (17 yrs)	+21.6%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	4.4% (6 yrs)	22.0% (17 yrs)	+17.6%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

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

← Back to Mercedes S 280 overview

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About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes S 280 cars manufactured in 2003 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 862 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.