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23 RCH

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Black Petrol 4973cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires30 Jan 2026
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

143,759 mi
Last recorded143,759 miles
Recorded on31 Jan 2025
Typical for 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl79,403 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

Registration23 RCH
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,973cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 31 Jan 2025 143,759 miles

Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Slight wear to suspension bushes.

Fail 22 Jan 2025 143,759 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint has excessive play Steering idler link bar (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Slight wear to suspension bushes.

Fail 27 Sep 2024 143,726 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (3.1 (b) (i))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Inner Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Inner Suspension rod ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Pass 18 Sep 2023 143,200 miles

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Sep 2022 142,499 miles

Central Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

both catalytic converers rattle when tapped

Fail 23 Sep 2022 142,499 miles

Central Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

both catalytic converers rattle when tapped

Pass 17 Sep 2021 140,502 miles

Both Catalytic Converters rattle when tapped but emissions OK

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2.5mm (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 17 Sep 2021 140,502 miles

Both Catalytic Converters rattle when tapped but emissions OK

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Central Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2.5mm (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 25 Sep 2020 138,168 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2019 135,512 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2018 134,858 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded above rear axle ()

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear tyre 21 yrs old

Offside Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view stone chips (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 28 Nov 2017 133,299 miles

Front Front wheel bearing has slight play both sides (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded above rear diff (chalked for reference) ()

steering shaft has slight free play at flexible coupling

Fail 27 Nov 2017 133,258 miles

Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Front Front wheel bearing has slight play both sides (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded above rear diff (chalked for reference) ()

steering shaft has slight free play at flexible coupling

Pass 24 Oct 2016 131,616 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2015 129,001 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2014 127,450 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2013 126,613 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2012 125,596 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2011 123,324 miles
Pass 14 Jul 2010 118,760 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2009 114,864 miles

Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 31 Jul 2008 108,051 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2007 99,109 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2006 89,598 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2005 80,359 miles

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz Sl?

Based on 528,820 MOT tests across 35,553 vehicles.

83.4%
Pass Rate
2,023
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
35,553
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 8,801
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,812
Brake pipe excessively corroded 3,463
Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords 3,077
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 2,767
Full Mercedes-benz Sl reliability report

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23 RCH is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Black with a 4,973cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

Across all 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 81.5% with a typical mileage of 79,403 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Mercedes-benz Sl fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 8,801 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 23 RCH, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz Sl typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 29 years old, this Mercedes-benz Sl is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 23 RCH?

You can check the full history of 23 RCH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 23 RCH registered?

23 RCH is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 22 October 1997.

Is 23 RCH safe to buy?

The MOT history for 23 RCH shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 23 RCH have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on 23 RCH. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.