CarVerify

Free Car Check

E3 TGW

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Silver Petrol 4196cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Jul 2027
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

130,002 mi
Last recorded130,002 miles
Recorded on23 Jul 2026
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz 420101,568 mi

Above 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

RegistrationE3 TGW
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1988
ColourSilver
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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 23 Jul 2026 130,002 miles

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Anti-roll bar (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Power steering component has slight seepage from a component Steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3mm 205/65R15 94H (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Fail 13 Jul 2026 130,002 miles

Central Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Upper Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn Arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Anti-roll bar (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Power steering component has slight seepage from a component Steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3mm 205/65R15 94H (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 6 Jun 2025 124,873 miles

both front and nsr tyres close to limit

osf sway arm gaitor poor

rear exhaust mount missing, system still secure

Fail 6 Jun 2025 124,873 miles

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

both front and nsr tyres close to limit

osf sway arm gaitor poor

rear exhaust mount missing, system still secure

Pass 26 Apr 2024 120,185 miles

Offside Front Power steering component has slight seepage from a component box (2.1.5 (a))

Offside Front Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Rear bush. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 18 Apr 2024 120,185 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Rear fog lamp tell-tale not working (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Power steering component has slight seepage from a component box (2.1.5 (a))

Offside Front Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Rear bush. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Mar 2023 116,554 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively Both. (1.2.1 (e))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 18 Aug 2022 116,553 miles

Offside Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases Down pipe. (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Rear fog lamp tell-tale not working (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Steering box has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Mar 2021 107,683 miles
Fail 12 Mar 2021 107,678 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Front Windscreen washer not working Both (3.5 (a))

Pass 29 May 2019 105,383 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2018 104,875 miles
Fail 12 Jun 2018 104,875 miles

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 20 Apr 2017 103,671 miles
Pass 6 May 2016 101,800 miles
Pass 8 Oct 2014 101,489 miles

Fluid suspension unit supply pipe corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.D.3)

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

Offside Rear Fluid suspension unit interconnecting pipe corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.D.3)

fuel pipe corroded by fuel pump

Pass 7 Oct 2013 100,129 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2012 98,661 miles

Front tyres worn on outer edges

Pass 10 Oct 2011 97,175 miles

both front tyres starting to wear on outside edges

washer output poor but still puts water on to screen

Pass 6 Oct 2010 95,015 miles

N/S/F tyre wearing on outside edge

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

Pass 5 Oct 2009 91,854 miles
Pass 6 Oct 2008 88,588 miles

Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration (7.3.A.2c)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

slight leak from steering box

slight rust on suspension pipes

Fail 6 Oct 2008 88,588 miles

Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration (7.3.A.2c)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Rear brake disc excessively scored (3.5.1h)

slight leak from steering box

slight rust on suspension pipes

Pass 2 Oct 2007 85,604 miles

Rear Brake pipe slightly damaged (2.2.D.2b)

suspension pipes slightly corroded

Pass 6 Oct 2006 82,392 miles
Fail 4 Oct 2006 82,392 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Rear Fluid suspension accumulator totally deflated (2.4.D.1a)

Pass 29 Sep 2005 78,931 miles
Fail 28 Sep 2005 78,931 miles

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

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

E3 TGW is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Silver with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

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 E3 TGW, 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 E3 TGW?

You can check the full history of E3 TGW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E3 TGW registered?

E3 TGW is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 30 December 1988.

Is E3 TGW safe to buy?

The MOT history for E3 TGW shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E3 TGW 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 E3 TGW. 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.