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42 JL

1986 Mercedes-benz 300

Red Petrol 2962cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires24 Jun 2026
Tests15 (13 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate86.7%

Mileage

87,735 mi
Last recorded87,735 miles
Recorded on25 Jun 2025
Typical for 1986 Mercedes-benz 300100,452 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

Registration42 JL
MakeMercedes-benz
Model300
Year1986
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,962cc

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

13 pass 2 fail
Pass 25 Jun 2025 87,735 miles

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

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

Pass 9 May 2024 87,615 miles

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

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

Pass 9 May 2023 87,615 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 4 May 2022 86,840 miles

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

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

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

Pass 8 Sep 2020 85,568 miles

Front Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement all front subframe bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive rear differential (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Aug 2019 84,547 miles

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

Pass 13 Aug 2018 82,122 miles

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

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge ALL FOUR (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 17 Aug 2017 80,200 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2016 77,252 miles
Pass 28 Jul 2015 76,243 miles

all four tyres cracking

Pass 21 Jul 2014 74,968 miles

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

all four tyres cracking

Pass 28 Jun 2013 72,814 miles
Fail 10 Jun 2013 72,812 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 16 Aug 2012 72,523 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

slight corrosion to both sills

tyre size = 205/65R15

Fail 10 Nov 2011 72,519 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

radiator leaking coolant

slight corrosion to both sills

tyre size = 205/65R15

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz 300?

Based on 170,654 MOT tests across 18,208 vehicles.

73.5%
Pass Rate
1,831
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
18,208
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Brake pipe excessively corroded 7,440
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 5,542
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 3,881
Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 2,985
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid 2,687
Full Mercedes-benz 300 reliability report

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42 JL is a 1986 Mercedes-benz 300 in Red with a 2,962cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 86.7%.

Across all 1986 Mercedes-benz 300 models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.7% with a typical mileage of 100,452 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Mercedes-benz 300 fails its MOT is brake pipe excessively corroded, accounting for 7,440 recorded failures. If you're considering buying 42 JL, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz 300 typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 40 years old, this Mercedes-benz 300 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of 42 JL?

You can check the full history of 42 JL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 42 JL registered?

42 JL is a 1986 Mercedes-benz 300, first registered on 6 November 1986.

Is 42 JL safe to buy?

The MOT history for 42 JL shows 15 tests with a 86.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 42 JL 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 42 JL. 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.