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71 MG

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Black Petrol 3199cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires3 Jun 2026
Tests28 (16 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate57.1%

Mileage

97,154 mi
Last recorded97,154 miles
Recorded on4 Jun 2025
Typical for 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl79,403 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

Registration71 MG
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,199cc

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

16 pass 12 fail
Pass 4 Jun 2025 97,154 miles

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 20 May 2024 93,780 miles
Fail 15 May 2024 93,780 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (1.1.6 (d))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 17 May 2023 92,544 miles
Pass 11 May 2022 90,916 miles
Fail 11 May 2022 90,916 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 20 May 2021 88,317 miles
Fail 26 Feb 2021 88,301 miles

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

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Parking brake lever missing (1.1.6 (d))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement n/s/f and o/s/f (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Wheel bearing has slight play n/s/f and o/s/f (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 30 Nov 2020 88,284 miles

Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Front Registration plate inscription illegible (0.1 (b))

Nearside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Central Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 28 Nov 2019 85,908 miles

heavy corrosion all round vehicle

Pass 30 Nov 2018 85,663 miles
Fail 30 Nov 2018 85,663 miles

Front Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 15 May 2014 83,800 miles

exhaust skin corroded.

Fail 14 May 2014 83,800 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

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

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

exhaust skin corroded.

o/s/f driving lamp in/op

oil lights on

Pass 14 May 2013 75,313 miles
Fail 14 May 2013 75,313 miles

Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) excessively corroded (2.3.2)

Pass 22 Sep 2011 73,066 miles
Fail 21 Sep 2011 73,065 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Front Lower Steering system excessively tight (2.2.D.1)

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

Nearside Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

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

hole and water ingress in o/s headlight.

Pass 22 Sep 2010 67,787 miles

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

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

water ingress o/s headlight.

Pass 21 Sep 2009 61,097 miles

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

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

Fail 21 Sep 2009 61,097 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 28 Aug 2008 58,955 miles

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

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

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

brake pipes need greasing

Pass 23 Aug 2007 57,247 miles
Fail 23 Aug 2007 57,247 miles

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

Pass 30 Jun 2006 53,944 miles
Fail 30 Jun 2006 53,944 miles

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Pass 27 Jul 2005 51,522 miles
Fail 25 Jul 2005 51,522 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

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

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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71 MG is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Black with a 3,199cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 57.1%.

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 71 MG, 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 71 MG?

You can check the full history of 71 MG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was 71 MG registered?

71 MG is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is 71 MG safe to buy?

The MOT history for 71 MG shows 28 tests with a 57.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does 71 MG 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 71 MG. 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.