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Mercedes Motor Caravan Reliability, MOT Pass Rate & Common Faults

Free Mercedes Motor Caravan car check

Is the Mercedes Motor Caravan reliable? We analysed 5,669 real MOT tests across 350 vehicles to find out.

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Data last updated: · Based on 5,669 real MOT tests
MOT Pass Rate
75.0%
Typical Mileage
73,795mi
Annual Mileage
1,905mi/yr
Est. Lifespan
44yrs

The Mercedes Motor Caravan is above average for reliability based on real UK MOT data. Common problems include parking brake: efficiency below requirements, windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively and position lamp(s) not working. Here's everything you need to know before buying a used Mercedes Motor Caravan.

Mercedes Motor Caravan Number Plates

Number plates registered to a Mercedes Motor Caravan. Click on any registration for full vehicle details — including MOT history, mileage records, previous owners and damage history.

Mercedes Motor Caravan MOT Pass Rate by Year

How likely is a Mercedes Motor Caravan to pass its MOT? Here's the pass rate for each registration year, newest first.

83.1%
2011
93.8%
2010
81.3%
2009
87%
2008
81.8%
2007
74.8%
2006
78.5%
2005
82%
2004
77%
2003
76.6%
2002
78.9%
2001
73.4%
2000
79.6%
1999
68.5%
1998
78.3%
1997
70.3%
1996
82.3%
1995
73.7%
1993
73.1%
1992
68.6%
1991

Mercedes Motor Caravan Problems — What Goes Wrong?

The most common reasons a Mercedes Motor Caravan fails its MOT, ranked by how often they occur. Check for these problems before you buy.

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 117
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 101
position lamp(s) not working 97
Service brake: efficiency below requirements 83
Brakes imbalanced across an axle 77
Brake pipe excessively corroded 77
fog lamp not working 72
brake binding 70
Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases 69
Stop lamp not working 64

Mercedes Motor Caravan Mileage — What's Normal?

How many miles does a typical Mercedes Motor Caravan owner drive per year? Use this to check if a car you're looking at has suspiciously low or high mileage.

Low usage
804 mi/yr
Typical
1,905 mi/yr
Average
2,999 mi/yr
Heavy usage
3,791 mi/yr

Mercedes Motor Caravan MOT Data by Registration Year

Full breakdown of pass rate and mileage for each year. Use this to compare the Mercedes Motor Caravan year you're looking at.

Year Tests Pass Rate Low Mi. Typical Mi. High Mi.
2011 59 83.1% 15,015 31,042 50,833
2010 96 93.8% 13,508 32,888 56,700
2009 107 81.3% 30,067 50,099 88,377
2008 169 87.0% 13,977 24,941 35,507
2007 236 81.8% 20,232 33,454 46,492
2006 107 74.8% 19,670 37,009 88,363
2005 242 78.5% 28,208 45,826 75,566
2004 355 82.0% 29,156 46,723 69,944
2003 426 77.0% 29,813 48,774 70,624
2002 542 76.6% 35,099 61,454 92,459
2001 232 78.9% 39,986 56,934 130,969
2000 177 73.4% 62,413 88,947 204,490
1999 275 79.6% 55,876 78,412 109,955
1998 165 68.5% 92,873 144,280 231,646
1997 161 78.3% 68,177 126,933 202,520
1996 64 70.3% 71,820 85,708 147,962
1995 62 82.3% 108,407 133,000 164,773
1993 114 73.7% 106,229 118,767 163,742
1992 108 73.1% 80,584 125,624 203,945
1991 105 68.6% 59,656 120,247 160,018

How Long Does a Mercedes Motor Caravan Last?

Based on 350 Mercedes Motor Caravan vehicles on UK roads.

Average
24.2 years
Median
23.0 years
Estimated max lifespan
44 years

Mercedes Motor Caravan Mileage Distribution

Total mileage recorded across all Mercedes Motor Caravan MOT tests. If the car you're looking at is above the 75th percentile, it's done more miles than most.

Median
73,795 mi
75th Percentile
136,850 mi
95th Percentile
304,650 mi
Max Recorded
818,853 mi

Best Year to Buy a Used Mercedes Motor Caravan

Based on MOT pass rates across all registration years with sufficient test data.

Best year
2010

93.8% MOT pass rate from 96 tests

Year to avoid
1987

60.6% MOT pass rate from 104 tests

The best year to buy a used Mercedes Motor Caravan is 2010, which has the highest MOT pass rate at 93.8% across 96 tests. The 1987 model year has the lowest pass rate at 60.6% — if you're looking at one from that year, budget for potential repairs and get a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How Does the Mercedes Motor Caravan Compare?

MOT pass rates compared to similar models. Click any model for the full breakdown.

Model Pass Rate Tests Typical Mileage Lifespan
Mercedes Motor Caravan THIS CAR 75.0% 5,669 73,795 mi 44 yrs
Mercedes Motorhome 76.7% 14,848 66,873 mi 45 yrs
Mercedes Unknown 79.2% 11,881 102,484 mi 39 yrs
Mercedes Camper 74.6% 8,342 82,260 mi 47 yrs
Ktm 390 87.7% 4,778 5,829 mi 13 yrs

Compared to the Mercedes Motorhome (76.7% pass rate) and the Mercedes Unknown (79.2% pass rate), the Mercedes Motor Caravan trails behind on MOT reliability.

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Should you buy a used Mercedes Motor Caravan?

The Mercedes Motor Caravan has an overall MOT pass rate of 75.0% across 5,669 real MOT tests — comfortably above the UK average, which puts it among the more reliable models on UK roads.

The most common problems on the Mercedes Motor Caravan are parking brake: efficiency below requirements (117 recorded failures), windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (101), and position lamp(s) not working (97). These are the faults most likely to cause an MOT failure on this model, so check for them carefully on any test drive or pre-purchase inspection. Many are wear-and-tear items that can be budgeted for, but a car that's already failing on multiple fronts may signal neglected maintenance.

A typical Mercedes Motor Caravan owner drives around 1,905 miles per year. If the car you're looking at is significantly above this, expect more wear on suspension, brakes and tyres. If it's well below, the vehicle may have been sitting unused — check for perished rubber, corroded discs and stale fluids.

In terms of longevity, most Mercedes Motor Caravan models stay on UK roads for around 44 years — a strong showing that suggests solid build quality and readily available parts. If you're buying one that's already approaching that window, the data suggests it has plenty of life left provided it's been maintained.

Before committing to a purchase, we recommend running a full vehicle history check on the specific car. This will reveal any outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies that the seller may not disclose — and that the MOT data alone can't tell you.

Mercedes Motor Caravan — Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Mercedes Motor Caravan reliable?
Based on 5,669 MOT tests, the Mercedes Motor Caravan has a 75.0% pass rate — above the UK average, suggesting good reliability.
What are the common problems on a Mercedes Motor Caravan?
The most common MOT failures are parking brake: efficiency below requirements, windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively, and position lamp(s) not working. Check these on any test drive.
How many miles does a Mercedes Motor Caravan do per year?
The typical Mercedes Motor Caravan does around 1,905 miles per year. Anything significantly above or below this is worth investigating.
How long does a Mercedes Motor Caravan last?
Most Mercedes Motor Caravan models stay on UK roads for around 44 years based on our analysis of 350 vehicles.
Should I get a vehicle check before buying a Mercedes Motor Caravan?
Yes. An MOT pass rate tells you about the model in general, but a vehicle history check reveals the specific car's finance, stolen, write-off and mileage history — things the seller may not disclose.
What is the best year to buy a Mercedes Motor Caravan?
Based on MOT pass rates, the best year to buy a used Mercedes Motor Caravan is 2010 with a 93.8% pass rate across 96 tests.