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E121 VAT

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Blue Petrol 4196cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires9 Jun 2011
Tests8 (4 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

175,435 mi
Last recorded175,435 miles
Recorded on10 Jun 2010
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz 420101,568 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationE121 VAT
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1988
ColourBlue
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

4 pass 4 fail
Pass 10 Jun 2010 175,435 miles

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

Nearside front brake binding slightly

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

Offside rear tyre low on tread

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

Fail 7 Jun 2010 175,423 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose bulging under pressure (3.6.B.3)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Nearside front brake binding slightly

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

Offside rear tyre low on tread

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

Fail 5 Jun 2010 175,423 miles

Offside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nearside rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

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

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

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

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

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

Offside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Offside rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

air conditioning pump not connected

different sizes of tyres fitted front to rear

drivers seat bolster broken

nearside rear parking brake effort poor

vehicle marked as 560se,on system as 420se

Fail 23 May 2010 175,416 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nearside Outer Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nearside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Outer Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Offside front brakes release unevenly (3.7.B.4)

Rear Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nearside rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

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

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

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

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

Offside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Offside rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

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

air conditioning pump not connected

different sizes of tyres fitted front to rear

drivers seat bolster broken

nearside rear parking brake effort poor

vehicle marked as 560se,on system as 420se

Pass 22 Apr 2009 173,580 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2007 172,206 miles
Pass 19 May 2006 169,749 miles
Fail 18 May 2006 169,749 miles

Nearside Front Lower Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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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E121 VAT is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Blue with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 8 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 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 E121 VAT, 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 E121 VAT?

You can check the full history of E121 VAT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E121 VAT registered?

E121 VAT is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 25 February 1988.

Is E121 VAT safe to buy?

The MOT history for E121 VAT shows 8 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E121 VAT 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 E121 VAT. 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.