CarVerify

Free Car Check

C104 XLM

1986 Mercedes-benz 420

Grey Petrol 4196cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Nov 2026
Tests17 (10 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate58.8%

Mileage

184,280 mi
Last recorded184,280 miles
Recorded on15 Nov 2025
Typical for 1986 Mercedes-benz 420107,080 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC104 XLM
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1986
ColourGrey
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

10 pass 7 fail
Pass 15 Nov 2025 184,280 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2025 184,280 miles

Failed emissions

Pass 24 Aug 2023 184,115 miles

Nearside Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal sill and floor (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal sill and floor (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 23 Aug 2023 184,106 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Nearside Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal sill and floor (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal sill and floor (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 13 Jul 2018 183,996 miles
Pass 2 Mar 2017 183,511 miles

Oil leak

gearbox oil leak

Fail 22 Feb 2017 183,511 miles

Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Front Steering damper leaking oil (2.2.C.1f)

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

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

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

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

Oil leak

gearbox oil leak

Pass 4 Nov 2014 181,779 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2014 181,778 miles

Nearside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Nearside Front Seat belt insecurely fixed to the seat (5.2.1a)

Nearside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Body or chassis has an inadequate repair, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Steering column top bearing excessively worn (2.1.2c)

Pass 3 Jun 2011 181,148 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

engine idle speed excessive

Fail 3 Jun 2011 181,146 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Front registration plate character(s) laid out in an incorrect format (6.3.4f)

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

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

Rear registration plate character(s) laid out in an incorrect format (6.3.4f)

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Oil leak

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

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

engine idle speed excessive

Fail 19 May 2010 171,139 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Front All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Power steering component(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

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)

Pass 21 Nov 2008 177,181 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Nearside Front Steering column flexible coupling has slight play (2.1.5)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

corrosion repair has been done,coverd with filler and underseal cant be cheked propopley using inspection hammer.

Fail 19 Nov 2008 177,068 miles

Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting corroded and its strength is seriously reduced (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 4 Dec 2007 175,835 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2006 174,793 miles
Fail 6 Dec 2006 174,792 miles

Brake master cylinder leaking hydraulic fluid (3.6.G.1f)

Front passenger seat insecure (6.2.3)

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage fractured (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

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

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

C104 XLM is a 1986 Mercedes-benz 420 in Grey with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.8%.

Across all 1986 Mercedes-benz 420 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.0% with a typical mileage of 107,080 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 420 fails its MOT is suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 647 recorded failures. If you're considering buying C104 XLM, 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 40 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 C104 XLM?

You can check the full history of C104 XLM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C104 XLM registered?

C104 XLM is a 1986 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 31 December 1986.

Is C104 XLM safe to buy?

The MOT history for C104 XLM shows 17 tests with a 58.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C104 XLM 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 C104 XLM. 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.