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500 S

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 2799cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Oct 2026
Tests24 (21 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

142,842 mi
Last recorded142,842 miles
Recorded on16 Sep 2025
Typical for 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl79,403 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

Registration500 S
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,799cc

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

21 pass 3 fail
Pass 16 Sep 2025 142,842 miles

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

Pass 16 Sep 2024 139,005 miles

Front Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

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

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 21 Sep 2023 136,643 miles

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all rear arms (5.3.3 (b) (i))

underbody corrosion

Fail 18 Sep 2023 136,641 miles

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

Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.5 (b) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Side repeater incorrect colour both sides flashing white (4.4.3 (a))

Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system burst on RBT (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all rear arms (5.3.3 (b) (i))

underbody corrosion

Pass 3 Oct 2022 132,604 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 11 Oct 2021 128,785 miles

Front Coil spring corroded Both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Coil spring mounting damaged but not seriously weakened (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring mounting damaged but not seriously weakened (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Coil spring corroded Both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 11 Oct 2021 128,785 miles

Front Coil spring corroded Both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Coil spring mounting damaged but not seriously weakened (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Coil spring mounting damaged but not seriously weakened (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Side repeater incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Rear Coil spring corroded Both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 15 Oct 2020 124,664 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))

Pass 15 Oct 2019 119,639 miles

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

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

Pass 19 Sep 2018 109,423 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 10 Oct 2017 102,562 miles

Exhaust mounts deteriorated

Exhaust silencer deteriorated

Fuel pipes in poor condition due to corrosion

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 20 Sep 2016 95,784 miles

Exhaust hanger broken

Offside Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 24 Sep 2015 89,957 miles

Offside Front Steering system slightly rough strut mount (2.2.D.1)

Pass 16 Oct 2014 81,652 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Pass 24 Dec 2013 76,862 miles
Pass 19 Dec 2012 68,109 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2012 65,377 miles

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

Fail 4 Jan 2012 65,355 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 16 Dec 2010 62,530 miles

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

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)

Pass 15 Dec 2009 56,236 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 17 Dec 2008 50,951 miles
Pass 28 Dec 2007 43,865 miles
Pass 22 Dec 2006 37,943 miles
Pass 5 Jan 2006 31,325 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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500 S is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 2,799cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 500 S, 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 500 S?

You can check the full history of 500 S by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 500 S registered?

500 S is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 1 January 1997.

Is 500 S safe to buy?

The MOT history for 500 S shows 24 tests with a 87.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 500 S 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 500 S. 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.