1989 Mercedes Unclassified — MOT History by Age

How cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age

37 years

Current Age

73.1%

Latest Pass Rate

1,000

Total Tests (All Years)

128,308 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 1989 Mercedes Unclassified as it ages.

20 yrs50.3%

→ ↓4.0%

21 yrs46.3%

→ ↑9.3%

22 yrs55.6%

→ ↑0.2%

23 yrs55.8%

→ ↑6.7%

24 yrs62.5%

→ ↓12.5%

25 yrs50.0%

→ ↑4.5%

26 yrs54.5%

→ ↑5.9%

27 yrs60.4%

→ ↓5.5%

28 yrs54.9%

→ ↑8.0%

29 yrs62.9%

→ ↑0.5%

30 yrs63.4%

→ ↓13.4%

31 yrs50.0%

→ ↑12.2%

32 yrs62.2%

→ ↓0.0%

33 yrs62.2%

→ ↓0.2%

34 yrs62.0%

→ ↑11.1%

35 yrs73.1%

📊 View as table

Age	Pass Rate	Tests
20 yrs	50.3%	157
21 yrs	46.3%	121
22 yrs	55.6%	108
23 yrs	55.8%	86
24 yrs	62.5%	56
25 yrs	50.0%	40
26 yrs	54.5%	44
27 yrs	60.4%	53
28 yrs	54.9%	51
29 yrs	62.9%	35
30 yrs	63.4%	41
31 yrs	50.0%	32
32 yrs	62.2%	37
33 yrs	62.2%	37
34 yrs	62.0%	50
35 yrs	73.1%	52

Pass Rate Trend

How the 1989 Mercedes Unclassified pass rate changes as it ages, from first MOT to most recent.

📊 View as table

Built	Pass Rate	Tests
2024 (35 yrs)	73.1%	52
2023 (34 yrs)	62%	50
2022 (33 yrs)	62.2%	37
2021 (32 yrs)	62.2%	37
2020 (31 yrs)	50%	32
2019 (30 yrs)	63.4%	41
2018 (29 yrs)	62.9%	35
2017 (28 yrs)	54.9%	51
2016 (27 yrs)	60.4%	53
2015 (26 yrs)	54.5%	44
2014 (25 yrs)	50%	40
2013 (24 yrs)	62.5%	56
2012 (23 yrs)	55.8%	86
2011 (22 yrs)	55.6%	108
2010 (21 yrs)	46.3%	121
2009 (20 yrs)	50.3%	157

Year-by-Year MOT Results

2009High Fail Rate

50.3%

Age (yrs) 20Tests 157Avg Mileage 168,550Top Failure Brakes — 33.8%

2010High Fail Rate

46.3%

Age (yrs) 21Tests 121Avg Mileage 170,766Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.2%

2011High Fail Rate

55.6%

Age (yrs) 22Tests 108Avg Mileage 155,596Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.6%

2012High Fail Rate

55.8%

Age (yrs) 23Tests 86Avg Mileage 159,356Top Failure Brakes — 27.9%

2013High Fail Rate

62.5%

Age (yrs) 24Tests 56Avg Mileage 170,555Top Failure Brakes — 89.3%

2014High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 25Tests 40Avg Mileage 166,363Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 85.0%

2015High Fail Rate

54.5%

Age (yrs) 26Tests 44Avg Mileage 163,258Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 93.2%

2016High Fail Rate

60.4%

Age (yrs) 27Tests 53Avg Mileage 190,623Top Failure Brakes — 66.0%

2017High Fail Rate

54.9%

Age (yrs) 28Tests 51Avg Mileage 172,452Top Failure Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 92.2%

2018High Fail Rate

62.9%

Age (yrs) 29Tests 35Avg Mileage 138,223Top Failure Brakes — 97.1%

2019High Fail Rate

63.4%

Age (yrs) 30Tests 41Avg Mileage 170,830Top Failure Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 100.0%

2020High Fail Rate

50.0%

Age (yrs) 31Tests 32Avg Mileage 158,578Top Failure Brakes — 134.4%

2021High Fail Rate

62.2%

Age (yrs) 32Tests 37Avg Mileage 183,810Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 70.3%

2022High Fail Rate

62.2%

Age (yrs) 33Tests 37Avg Mileage 135,292Top Failure Brakes — 54.1%

2023High Fail Rate

62.0%

Age (yrs) 34Tests 50Avg Mileage 142,101Top Failure Brakes — 76.0%

2024

73.1%

Age (yrs) 35Tests 52Avg Mileage 128,308Top Failure Body, chassis, structure — 75.0%

MOT results for 1989 Mercedes Unclassified by test year
Test Year▲	Age (yrs)▲▼	Pass Rate▲▼	Tests▲▼	Avg Mileage▲▼	Top Failure▲▼
2009	20	50.3%	157	168,550	Brakes — 33.8%
2010	21	46.3%	121	170,766	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 37.2%
2011	22	55.6%	108	155,596	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 30.6%
2012	23	55.8%	86	159,356	Brakes — 27.9%
2013	24	62.5%	56	170,555	Brakes — 89.3%
2014	25	50.0%	40	166,363	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 85.0%
2015	26	54.5%	44	163,258	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 93.2%
2016	27	60.4%	53	190,623	Brakes — 66.0%
2017	28	54.9%	51	172,452	Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment — 92.2%
2018	29	62.9%	35	138,223	Brakes — 97.1%
2019	30	63.4%	41	170,830	Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment — 100.0%
2020	31	50.0%	32	158,578	Brakes — 134.4%
2021	32	62.2%	37	183,810	Body, chassis, structure — 70.3%
2022	33	62.2%	37	135,292	Brakes — 54.1%
2023	34	62.0%	50	142,101	Brakes — 76.0%
2024	35	73.1%	52	128,308	Body, chassis, structure — 75.0%

Common MOT Failures

Top failure categories across all test years for 1989 Mercedes Unclassified, with age trends.

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment

68.2%

↓ Decreases with age

Brakes

61.3%

↓ Decreases with age

Body, chassis, structure

54.4%

↑ Increases with age

Lamps, Reflectors and Electrical Equipment

52.4%

— Consistent

Suspension

33.4%

↑ 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	22.3% (20 yrs)	50.0% (35 yrs)	+27.7%	🔴 ↑
Brakes	33.8% (20 yrs)	28.8% (35 yrs)	-5.0%	🟢 ↓

Other Manufacture Years

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

About This Data

This page shows how Mercedes Unclassified cars manufactured in 1989 perform at MOT as they age. Data spans from 2009 to 2024, covering 1,000 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.