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CPL 738

1988 Mercedes-benz Sl

Red Petrol 3839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jun 2027
Tests27 (21 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

79,753 mi
Last recorded79,753 miles
Recorded on5 Jun 2026
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl75,629 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationCPL 738
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1988
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,839cc

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 6 fail
Pass 5 Jun 2026 79,753 miles
Fail 28 May 2026 79,753 miles

Exhaust emits dense blue smoke at idle (8.2.1.2 (f))

Nearside 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))

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))

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened PAD METAL TO METAL (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 17 Jun 2025 79,753 miles
Pass 31 May 2024 79,743 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2023 79,552 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Fail 14 Jun 2023 79,552 miles

Nearside Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 15 Jun 2022 79,318 miles

Nearside Front Inner Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 15 Jun 2021 78,643 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2020 78,069 miles

Nearside Front slight play

Offside Front Inner Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 13 Jun 2019 77,610 miles

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

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive differential drive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 14 Jun 2018 76,820 miles
Fail 14 Jun 2018 76,820 miles

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

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

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

Pass 12 Jun 2017 76,597 miles

front subframe mountings movement slight

Pass 3 Jun 2016 75,175 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2015 75,999 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2014 75,691 miles

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

Fail 2 Jun 2014 75,691 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 20 May 2013 75,471 miles

Both front wipers smear

Corrosion to both n/s and o/s outer sills

Pass 16 Apr 2012 74,776 miles

Chassis has slight surface corrosion

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 19 May 2011 74,350 miles

Both front wipers smeer slightly

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear diff oil seal weeping

Slight crack in front number plate

Fail 9 Apr 2010 73,431 miles

Nearside Front Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

corrosion front outer sills around jacking points

Pass 9 Apr 2010 73,431 miles

Nearside Front Power steering pump has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Nearside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

corrosion front outer sills around jacking points

Pass 21 Apr 2009 72,804 miles
Fail 21 Apr 2009 72,804 miles

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

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

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

all steering/suspension components have corosion

both front lower suspension arm bushes deteriorated but have no excess movement

outer sills coroded

Pass 16 May 2008 72,074 miles

STRONG ADVISE- both front tyres are worn vey low on edges and centre tread is on 1.6mm legal limit

nearside front spoiler/cross member has corosion

offside front jacking point has surface corosion around it

play in front inner steering ball joints but not considered excessive

Pass 5 Mar 2007 71,109 miles
Pass 22 May 2006 70,423 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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CPL 738 is a 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl in Red with a 3,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 80.6% with a typical mileage of 75,629 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 CPL 738, 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 38 years old, this Mercedes-benz Sl is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of CPL 738?

You can check the full history of CPL 738 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was CPL 738 registered?

CPL 738 is a 1988 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 3 February 1988.

Is CPL 738 safe to buy?

The MOT history for CPL 738 shows 27 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does CPL 738 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 CPL 738. 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.