1996 Mercedes Sl 320 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

84.9%

Latest Pass Rate

4,222

Total Tests (All Years)

95,559 mi

Avg Mileage (Latest)

Data from official DVSA MOT testing records

Best vintage for Sl 320

Insufficient data for same-age comparison.

How This Car Ages

Pass rate progression for the 1996 Mercedes Sl 320 as it ages.

13 yrs77.5%

→ ↑1.3%

14 yrs78.8%

→ ↓1.6%

15 yrs77.2%

→ ↑2.2%

16 yrs79.4%

→ ↓4.5%

17 yrs74.9%

→ ↑1.7%

18 yrs76.6%

→ ↑1.1%

19 yrs77.7%

→ ↓0.1%

20 yrs77.6%

→ ↓1.4%

21 yrs76.2%

→ ↓1.5%

22 yrs74.7%

→ ↑3.3%

23 yrs78.0%

→ ↑6.9%

24 yrs84.9%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	77.5%	481
14 yrs	78.8%	472
15 yrs	77.2%	478
16 yrs	79.4%	457
17 yrs	74.9%	443
18 yrs	76.6%	428
19 yrs	77.7%	421
20 yrs	77.6%	401
21 yrs	76.2%	206
22 yrs	74.7%	146
23 yrs	78.0%	150
24 yrs	84.9%	139

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Mercedes Sl 320 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (24 yrs)	84.9%	139
2019 (23 yrs)	78%	150
2018 (22 yrs)	74.7%	146
2017 (21 yrs)	76.2%	206
2016 (20 yrs)	77.6%	401
2015 (19 yrs)	77.7%	421
2014 (18 yrs)	76.6%	428
2013 (17 yrs)	74.9%	443
2012 (16 yrs)	79.4%	457
2011 (15 yrs)	77.2%	478
2010 (14 yrs)	78.8%	472
2009 (13 yrs)	77.5%	481

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

77.5%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 481Avg Mileage 77,163Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.6%

2010

78.8%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 472Avg Mileage 79,701Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.7%

2011

77.2%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 478Avg Mileage 81,492Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.2%

2012

79.4%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 457Avg Mileage 86,920Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.8%

2013

74.9%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 443Avg Mileage 84,157Top Failure Brakes — 19.6%

2014

76.6%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 428Avg Mileage 87,623Top Failure Brakes — 26.9%

2015

77.7%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 421Avg Mileage 89,256Top Failure Brakes — 20.9%

2016

77.6%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 401Avg Mileage 89,501Top Failure Brakes — 17.5%

2017

76.2%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 206Avg Mileage 90,765Top Failure Brakes — 28.2%

2018

74.7%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 146Avg Mileage 94,147Top Failure Brakes — 26.7%

2019

78.0%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 150Avg Mileage 95,851Top Failure Brakes — 22.7%

2020

84.9%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 139Avg Mileage 95,559Top Failure Brakes — 23.0%

MOT results for 1996 Mercedes Sl 320 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	77.5%	481	77,163	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 10.6%
2010	14	78.8%	472	79,701	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.7%
2011	15	77.2%	478	81,492	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.2%
2012	16	79.4%	457	86,920	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 8.8%
2013	17	74.9%	443	84,157	Brakes — 19.6%
2014	18	76.6%	428	87,623	Brakes — 26.9%
2015	19	77.7%	421	89,256	Brakes — 20.9%
2016	20	77.6%	401	89,501	Brakes — 17.5%
2017	21	76.2%	206	90,765	Brakes — 28.2%
2018	22	74.7%	146	94,147	Brakes — 26.7%
2019	23	78.0%	150	95,851	Brakes — 22.7%
2020	24	84.9%	139	95,559	Brakes — 23.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Mercedes Sl 320, with age trends.

Brakes

18.2%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

17.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

15.2%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

12.9%

↑ Increases with age

Tyres

11.1%

↑ 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
Brakes	7.5% (13 yrs)	23.0% (24 yrs)	+15.5%	🔴 ↑
Suspension	5.8% (13 yrs)	19.4% (24 yrs)	+13.6%	🔴 ↑
Tyres	8.9% (13 yrs)	14.4% (24 yrs)	+5.5%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

← Back to Mercedes Sl 320 overview

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes Sl 320 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes Sl 320 cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 4,222 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.