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D278 TWE

1987 Mercedes-benz Sl

Red Petrol 2962cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Jun 2027
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

63,769 mi
Last recorded63,769 miles
Recorded on8 Jun 2026
Typical for 1987 Mercedes-benz Sl83,827 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

RegistrationD278 TWE
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1987
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,962cc

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

18 pass 4 fail
Pass 8 Jun 2026 63,769 miles
Pass 19 May 2025 63,726 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2024 63,341 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 14 Jun 2023 63,127 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2021 69,392 miles

Front Outer Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both slight cracking on shoulder (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Rear Outer Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both slight cracking on shoulder (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 17 Mar 2021 62,384 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Front Outer Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both slight cracking on shoulder (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Rear Outer Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Both slight cracking on shoulder (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 26 Apr 2018 62,121 miles
Pass 4 May 2017 61,480 miles

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

Sub-frame attachment rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement all (2.4.G.2)

Fail 26 Apr 2017 61,479 miles

Fuel system component leaking pump pipe (7.2.3)

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

Sub-frame attachment rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement all (2.4.G.2)

Pass 25 Apr 2016 60,776 miles

Front Subframe rubber mountings starting to perish but has no excessive movement.

oil leak

Pass 22 Apr 2015 60,452 miles

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

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

Pass 10 Apr 2014 59,995 miles

Nearside Front Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

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

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

Pass 23 Apr 2013 59,819 miles
Pass 27 Apr 2012 59,667 miles
Fail 18 Apr 2012 59,667 miles

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

Pass 17 Jun 2011 58,941 miles
Pass 29 May 2010 57,805 miles
Pass 26 Jan 2009 57,507 miles
Pass 21 Jan 2008 54,914 miles
Fail 21 Jan 2008 54,914 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking (2.3.3b)

Pass 24 Apr 2007 54,112 miles
Pass 3 May 2006 53,340 miles

exhaust rear

rear metal fuel line to filter & pump

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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D278 TWE is a 1987 Mercedes-benz Sl in Red with a 2,962cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81.8%.

Across all 1987 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.4% with a typical mileage of 83,827 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 D278 TWE, 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 39 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 D278 TWE?

You can check the full history of D278 TWE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was D278 TWE registered?

D278 TWE is a 1987 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 6 May 1987.

Is D278 TWE safe to buy?

The MOT history for D278 TWE shows 22 tests with a 81.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does D278 TWE 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 D278 TWE. 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.