1998 Mercedes Sl 280 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1998 perform at MOT as they age

28 years

Current Age

80.4%

Latest Pass Rate

1,396

Total Tests (All Years)

84,649 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 Sl 280 as it ages.

11 yrs77.9%

→ ↓5.7%

12 yrs72.2%

→ ↑0.3%

13 yrs72.5%

→ ↑2.7%

14 yrs75.2%

→ ↓1.1%

15 yrs74.1%

→ ↓0.5%

16 yrs73.6%

→ ↑3.5%

17 yrs77.1%

→ ↑5.1%

18 yrs82.2%

→ ↓2.2%

19 yrs80.0%

→ ↓6.7%

20 yrs73.3%

→ ↑5.9%

21 yrs79.2%

→ ↑1.2%

22 yrs80.4%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
11 yrs	77.9%	149
12 yrs	72.2%	151
13 yrs	72.5%	142
14 yrs	75.2%	153
15 yrs	74.1%	147
16 yrs	73.6%	140
17 yrs	77.1%	140
18 yrs	82.2%	135
19 yrs	80.0%	80
20 yrs	73.3%	60
21 yrs	79.2%	53
22 yrs	80.4%	46

Pass Rate Trend

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

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (22 yrs)	80.4%	46
2019 (21 yrs)	79.2%	53
2018 (20 yrs)	73.3%	60
2017 (19 yrs)	80%	80
2016 (18 yrs)	82.2%	135
2015 (17 yrs)	77.1%	140
2014 (16 yrs)	73.6%	140
2013 (15 yrs)	74.1%	147
2012 (14 yrs)	75.2%	153
2011 (13 yrs)	72.5%	142
2010 (12 yrs)	72.2%	151
2009 (11 yrs)	77.9%	149

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

77.9%

Age (yrs) 11Tests 149Avg Mileage 64,561Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.7%

2010

72.2%

Age (yrs) 12Tests 151Avg Mileage 68,453Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.9%

2011

72.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 142Avg Mileage 72,939Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.4%

2012

75.2%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 153Avg Mileage 75,411Top Failure Brakes — 17.6%

2013

74.1%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 147Avg Mileage 80,525Top Failure Brakes — 37.4%

2014

73.6%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 140Avg Mileage 79,010Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%

2015

77.1%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 140Avg Mileage 80,492Top Failure Brakes — 23.6%

2016

82.2%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 135Avg Mileage 82,790Top Failure Brakes — 24.4%

2017

80.0%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 80Avg Mileage 84,035Top Failure Brakes — 20.0%

2018

73.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 60Avg Mileage 86,678Top Failure Suspension — 23.3%

2019

79.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 53Avg Mileage 84,366Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%

2020

80.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 46Avg Mileage 84,649Top Failure Tyres — 15.2%

MOT results for 1998 Mercedes Sl 280 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	11	77.9%	149	64,561	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.7%
2010	12	72.2%	151	68,453	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 15.9%
2011	13	72.5%	142	72,939	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.4%
2012	14	75.2%	153	75,411	Brakes — 17.6%
2013	15	74.1%	147	80,525	Brakes — 37.4%
2014	16	73.6%	140	79,010	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.6%
2015	17	77.1%	140	80,492	Brakes — 23.6%
2016	18	82.2%	135	82,790	Brakes — 24.4%
2017	19	80.0%	80	84,035	Brakes — 20.0%
2018	20	73.3%	60	86,678	Suspension — 23.3%
2019	21	79.2%	53	84,366	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 22.6%
2020	22	80.4%	46	84,649	Tyres — 15.2%

Common MOT Failures

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

Brakes

19.2%

— Consistent

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

18.8%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

15.8%

— Consistent

Tyres

13.8%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

13.1%

↑ 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	4.0% (11 yrs)	15.2% (22 yrs)	+11.2%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	9.4% (11 yrs)	15.2% (22 yrs)	+5.8%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	10.1% (11 yrs)	13.0% (22 yrs)	+2.9%	🔴 ↑

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 1998 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,396 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.