1996 Mercedes Sl 500 — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age

30 years

Current Age

90.0%

Latest Pass Rate

1,386

Total Tests (All Years)

80,929 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 500 as it ages.

13 yrs78.1%

→ ↓2.6%

14 yrs75.5%

→ ↓2.7%

15 yrs72.8%

→ ↑0.8%

16 yrs73.6%

→ ↑0.4%

17 yrs74.0%

→ ↑3.4%

18 yrs77.4%

→ ↓5.1%

19 yrs72.3%

→ ↑7.4%

20 yrs79.7%

→ ↓5.1%

21 yrs74.6%

→ ↑3.8%

22 yrs78.4%

→ ↑5.7%

23 yrs84.1%

→ ↑5.9%

24 yrs90.0%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
13 yrs	78.1%	160
14 yrs	75.5%	143
15 yrs	72.8%	162
16 yrs	73.6%	148
17 yrs	74.0%	146
18 yrs	77.4%	137
19 yrs	72.3%	137
20 yrs	79.7%	128
21 yrs	74.6%	71
22 yrs	78.4%	51
23 yrs	84.1%	63
24 yrs	90.0%	40

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1996 Mercedes Sl 500 pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2020 (24 yrs)	90%	40
2019 (23 yrs)	84.1%	63
2018 (22 yrs)	78.4%	51
2017 (21 yrs)	74.6%	71
2016 (20 yrs)	79.7%	128
2015 (19 yrs)	72.3%	137
2014 (18 yrs)	77.4%	137
2013 (17 yrs)	74%	146
2012 (16 yrs)	73.6%	148
2011 (15 yrs)	72.8%	162
2010 (14 yrs)	75.5%	143
2009 (13 yrs)	78.1%	160

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009

78.1%

Age (yrs) 13Tests 160Avg Mileage 74,092Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.1%

2010

75.5%

Age (yrs) 14Tests 143Avg Mileage 75,706Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.1%

2011

72.8%

Age (yrs) 15Tests 162Avg Mileage 81,644Top Failure Brakes — 10.5%

2012

73.6%

Age (yrs) 16Tests 148Avg Mileage 78,219Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.2%

2013

74.0%

Age (yrs) 17Tests 146Avg Mileage 80,473Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%

2014

77.4%

Age (yrs) 18Tests 137Avg Mileage 82,949Top Failure Brakes — 33.6%

2015

72.3%

Age (yrs) 19Tests 137Avg Mileage 85,550Top Failure Brakes — 27.7%

2016

79.7%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 128Avg Mileage 85,565Top Failure Brakes — 18.0%

2017

74.6%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 71Avg Mileage 87,902Top Failure Brakes — 25.4%

2018

78.4%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 51Avg Mileage 89,792Top Failure Brakes — 19.6%

2019

84.1%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 63Avg Mileage 86,253Top Failure Suspension — 22.2%

2020

90.0%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 40Avg Mileage 80,929Top Failure Tyres — 10.0%

MOT results for 1996 Mercedes Sl 500 by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	13	78.1%	160	74,092	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 13.1%
2010	14	75.5%	143	75,706	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 9.1%
2011	15	72.8%	162	81,644	Brakes — 10.5%
2012	16	73.6%	148	78,219	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 14.2%
2013	17	74.0%	146	80,473	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 28.8%
2014	18	77.4%	137	82,949	Brakes — 33.6%
2015	19	72.3%	137	85,550	Brakes — 27.7%
2016	20	79.7%	128	85,565	Brakes — 18.0%
2017	21	74.6%	71	87,902	Brakes — 25.4%
2018	22	78.4%	51	89,792	Brakes — 19.6%
2019	23	84.1%	63	86,253	Suspension — 22.2%
2020	24	90.0%	40	80,929	Tyres — 10.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1996 Mercedes Sl 500, with age trends.

Brakes

18.7%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

15.8%

↑ Increases with age

Suspension

13.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

11.1%

↓ Decreases with age

Tyres

10.6%

— Consistent

How Failures Change With Age

Comparing failure rates between the youngest and oldest test years.

Category	At Youngest	At Oldest	Change	Trend
Tyres	7.5% (13 yrs)	10.0% (24 yrs)	+2.5%	🔴 ↑

Other Manufacture Years

Looking for the best year to buy? See the full comparison on the Mercedes Sl 500 page →

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes Sl 500 cars manufactured in 1996 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2020, covering 1,386 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.