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A23 SEC

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Silver Petrol 4196cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 May 2027
Tests23 (21 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate91.3%

Mileage

134,299 mi
Last recorded134,299 miles
Recorded on11 May 2026
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz 420101,568 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationA23 SEC
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1988
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,196cc

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 2 fail
Pass 11 May 2026 134,299 miles

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

Pass 14 Apr 2025 130,190 miles

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

Pass 11 Jun 2024 126,470 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2023 126,437 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2022 126,195 miles

Rear Exhaust mounting defective rear exhaust rubber mountings starting to perish (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 29 Sep 2020 122,795 miles

Slight oil leaks from engine, gearbox and rear diff

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Jun 2019 120,254 miles

Oil leak

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Jun 2018 117,456 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front tyre worn inside edge

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 23 Jun 2017 114,890 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2016 112,491 miles

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

Pass 22 Jun 2015 110,563 miles

Centre section of exhaust corroded

Oil leak

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a)

Pass 4 Jul 2014 106,363 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) deteriorated, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Oil leak

Rear prop shaft rubber coupling cracked

Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1f)

Fail 25 Jun 2014 106,230 miles

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (3.1.3c)

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

Nearside Front position lamp(s) deteriorated, but still visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Oil leak

Rear prop shaft rubber coupling cracked

Steering damper slight oil seepage (2.2.C.1f)

Pass 22 Jul 2013 103,065 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Fail 11 Jun 2013 100,885 miles

Driver's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

Nearside Front Passenger's seat cannot be secured in the upright position. (6.2.A.2)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

advise oil leak from engine, exhaust centre section corroded

Pass 31 May 2012 91,956 miles
Pass 25 May 2011 88,817 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2010 86,931 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2009 86,423 miles

exhaust starting to rust

nearside front tyre tread inner edge starting to wear

oil leak

Pass 14 Nov 2008 84,858 miles

exhaust starting to rust

nearside rear jacking point rubber missing

offside front tyre tread inner edge starting to wear

oil leak

Pass 10 Nov 2007 81,707 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2006 80,703 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2005 78,415 miles

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz 420?

Based on 24,311 MOT tests across 2,343 vehicles.

75.7%
Pass Rate
809
Miles/Year
40
Year Lifespan
2,343
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded 647
Brake pipe excessively corroded 577
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 565
brake binding 530
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 479
Full Mercedes-benz 420 reliability report

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A23 SEC is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Silver with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 91.3%.

Across all 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.3% with a typical mileage of 101,568 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Mercedes-benz 420 fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 647 recorded failures. If you're considering buying A23 SEC, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz 420 typically stays on UK roads for around 40 years. At 38 years old, this Mercedes-benz 420 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of A23 SEC?

You can check the full history of A23 SEC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A23 SEC registered?

A23 SEC is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is A23 SEC safe to buy?

The MOT history for A23 SEC shows 23 tests with a 91.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A23 SEC 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 A23 SEC. 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.