1996 Mercedes Sl 280 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

75.6%

Latest Pass Rate

1,441

Total Tests (All Years)

91,844 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 1996 Mercedes Sl 280 as it ages.

13 yrs76.4%

→ ↑6.6%

14 yrs83.0%

→ ↓8.8%

15 yrs74.2%

→ ↑4.5%

16 yrs78.7%

→ ↓4.7%

17 yrs74.0%

→ ↓4.7%

18 yrs69.3%

→ ↑6.8%

19 yrs76.1%

→ ↑2.1%

20 yrs78.2%

→ ↑1.3%

21 yrs79.5%

→ ↓10.5%

22 yrs69.0%

→ ↑18.0%

23 yrs87.0%

→ ↓11.4%

24 yrs75.6%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	76.4%	178
14 yrs	83.0%	159
15 yrs	74.2%	163
16 yrs	78.7%	155
17 yrs	74.0%	150
18 yrs	69.3%	150
19 yrs	76.1%	134
20 yrs	78.2%	142
21 yrs	79.5%	73
22 yrs	69.0%	42
23 yrs	87.0%	54
24 yrs	75.6%	41

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Mercedes Sl 280 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (24 yrs)	75.6%	41
2019 (23 yrs)	87%	54
2018 (22 yrs)	69%	42
2017 (21 yrs)	79.5%	73
2016 (20 yrs)	78.2%	142
2015 (19 yrs)	76.1%	134
2014 (18 yrs)	69.3%	150
2013 (17 yrs)	74%	150
2012 (16 yrs)	78.7%	155
2011 (15 yrs)	74.2%	163
2010 (14 yrs)	83%	159
2009 (13 yrs)	76.4%	178

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

76.4%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 178Avg Mileage 77,035Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.4%

2010

83.0%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 159Avg Mileage 80,060Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.4%

2011

74.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 163Avg Mileage 81,928Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.9%

2012

78.7%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 155Avg Mileage 81,504Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.9%

2013

74.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 150Avg Mileage 87,024Top Failure Brakes — 29.3%

2014

69.3%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 150Avg Mileage 85,493Top Failure Brakes — 40.0%

2015

76.1%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 134Avg Mileage 89,929Top Failure Brakes — 33.6%

2016

78.2%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 142Avg Mileage 88,967Top Failure Brakes — 36.6%

2017

79.5%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 73Avg Mileage 95,338Top Failure Brakes — 16.4%

2018

69.0%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 42Avg Mileage 99,166Top Failure Brakes — 47.6%

2019

87.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 54Avg Mileage 91,709Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 14.8%

2020

75.6%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 41Avg Mileage 91,844Top Failure Brakes — 39.0%

MOT results for 1996 Mercedes Sl 280 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	76.4%	178	77,035	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.4%
2010	14	83.0%	159	80,060	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.4%
2011	15	74.2%	163	81,928	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.9%
2012	16	78.7%	155	81,504	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 12.9%
2013	17	74.0%	150	87,024	Brakes — 29.3%
2014	18	69.3%	150	85,493	Brakes — 40.0%
2015	19	76.1%	134	89,929	Brakes — 33.6%
2016	20	78.2%	142	88,967	Brakes — 36.6%
2017	21	79.5%	73	95,338	Brakes — 16.4%
2018	22	69.0%	42	99,166	Brakes — 47.6%
2019	23	87.0%	54	91,709	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 14.8%
2020	24	75.6%	41	91,844	Brakes — 39.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Mercedes Sl 280, with age trends.

Brakes

24.3%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

20.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Suspension

17.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

16.7%

— Consistent

Tyres

12.2%

↑ 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	6.2% (13 yrs)	36.6% (24 yrs)	+30.4%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	10.7% (13 yrs)	39.0% (24 yrs)	+28.3%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	7.9% (13 yrs)	14.6% (24 yrs)	+6.7%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

← Back to Mercedes Sl 280 overview

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

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes Sl 280 cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,441 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.