CarVerify

Free Car Check

APL 5Y

1988 Mercedes-benz S-class

Black Petrol 5547cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Jun 2027
Tests16 (9 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate56.3%

Mileage

98,983 mi
Last recorded98,983 miles
Recorded on25 Jun 2026
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz S-class126,010 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Mercedes-benz
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationAPL 5Y
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelS-class
Year1988
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine5,547cc

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

9 pass 7 fail
Pass 25 Jun 2026 98,983 miles
Pass 11 Dec 2023 98,330 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2022 98,220 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2021 98,022 miles
Pass 15 Nov 2017 94,274 miles

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

Fail 8 Nov 2017 94,274 miles

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

Nearside Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

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

Pass 14 Jul 2016 87,189 miles

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

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

Oil leak Engine

Fail 14 Jul 2016 87,189 miles

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.A.2a)

Nearside Rear Seat belt retracting mechanism defective (5.2.5b)

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

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

Oil leak Engine

Fail 13 Aug 2014 87,091 miles

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

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.A.2a)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 10 Jul 2013 86,785 miles

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

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

o/s/f wing has hole caused by corrosion

Fail 10 Jul 2013 86,785 miles

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

Offside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

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

o/s/f wing has hole caused by corrosion

Fail 29 Apr 2013 86,782 miles

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

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (7.3.B.1b)

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

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)

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

battery flat

rear brake pipes corroded

Fail 20 Nov 2012 86,774 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

battery flat

coolant low

Pass 23 Jun 2009 83,320 miles

Centre Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 8 Jun 2006 76,258 miles
Fail 7 Jun 2006 76,257 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz S-class?

Based on 692,220 MOT tests across 62,130 vehicles.

80.6%
Pass Rate
6,086
Miles/Year
39
Year Lifespan
62,130
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 25,613
Brake pipe excessively corroded 8,895
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 6,706
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 6,018
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 5,811
Full Mercedes-benz S-class reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

APL 5Y is a 1988 Mercedes-benz S-class in Black with a 5,547cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 56.3%.

Across all 1988 Mercedes-benz S-class models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.4% with a typical mileage of 126,010 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 S-class fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 25,613 recorded failures. If you're considering buying APL 5Y, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz S-class typically stays on UK roads for around 39 years. At 38 years old, this Mercedes-benz S-class is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of APL 5Y?

You can check the full history of APL 5Y by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was APL 5Y registered?

APL 5Y is a 1988 Mercedes-benz S-class, first registered on 11 August 1988.

Is APL 5Y safe to buy?

The MOT history for APL 5Y shows 16 tests with a 56.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does APL 5Y 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 APL 5Y. 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.