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31 BD

1988 Mercedes-benz Sl

Red Petrol 4973cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Aug 2027
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

164,643 mi
Last recorded164,643 miles
Recorded on11 Aug 2026
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl75,629 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mercedes-benz
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

Registration31 BD
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1988
ColourRed
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 6 fail
Pass 11 Aug 2026 164,643 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2025 162,901 miles

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

Fail 24 Jul 2025 162,901 miles

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

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 16 Aug 2024 162,154 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive rear of inner wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive rear of inner wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 16 Aug 2024 162,150 miles

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive rear of inner wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive rear of inner wheel arch (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Aug 2023 160,902 miles

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 8 Aug 2022 159,527 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 5 Aug 2021 158,746 miles

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 10 Aug 2020 158,714 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2019 157,363 miles
Pass 8 Feb 2018 155,180 miles
Pass 27 Jan 2017 153,575 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2016 150,943 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive chassis (2.4.A.3)

Pass 22 Jan 2015 148,950 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2013 145,337 miles

Front suspension ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 3 Jan 2013 142,755 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 14 Dec 2011 140,824 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fail 12 Dec 2011 140,824 miles

Centre Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b) DANGEROUS

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

Offside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Oil leak

Suspension joint offside lower dust cover split/missing

both rear tyres cracking slightly on outer side walls

corrosion on o/s/r and n/s/r wheel arch

Pass 21 Dec 2010 137,404 miles

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

gearbox oil leak

Fail 16 Dec 2010 137,404 miles

Nearside Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside rear brake juddering severely (3.7.A.5b)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Nearside rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

Offside Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

gearbox oil leak

Pass 18 Dec 2009 135,578 miles
Fail 17 Dec 2009 135,578 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

Pass 10 Sep 2008 133,847 miles

Front Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Oil leak

Pass 14 Sep 2007 132,332 miles
Fail 11 Sep 2007 132,323 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Front Sub-frame has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Front Sub-frame has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 13 Sep 2006 131,932 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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31 BD is a 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl in Red with a 4,973cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

Across all 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 80.6% with a typical mileage of 75,629 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 31 BD, 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 38 years old, this Mercedes-benz Sl is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 31 BD?

You can check the full history of 31 BD by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 31 BD registered?

31 BD is a 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 1 March 1988.

Is 31 BD safe to buy?

The MOT history for 31 BD shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 31 BD 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 31 BD. 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.