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E42 KLN

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Black Petrol 4196cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Oct 2026
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

79,125 mi
Last recorded79,125 miles
Recorded on13 Oct 2025
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz 420101,568 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

RegistrationE42 KLN
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1988
ColourBlack
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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 13 Oct 2025 79,125 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2025 79,125 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (4.4.1 (e))

Headlamp aim too high both aims too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Position lamp light intensity significantly reduced (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

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

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

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

o/s/f exhaust clamp broken

Pass 2 Jun 2023 79,125 miles
Pass 5 May 2022 78,035 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

steering damper removed

Fail 5 May 2022 78,035 miles

Headlamp aim too low both front (4.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

steering damper removed

Pass 15 Sep 2020 76,082 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing perished in tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing perished in tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 20 Sep 2018 75,900 miles

Nearside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Lower Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

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

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

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Fail 19 Sep 2018 75,899 miles

Direction indicator not working all direction indicators (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Lower Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

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

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

Steering box leaking oil (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 28 Sep 2017 75,709 miles

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion boot, (6.1.B.2)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin both sides (3.5.1g)

Fail 22 Sep 2017 75,693 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion boot, (6.1.B.2)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin both sides (3.5.1g)

Pass 27 Sep 2016 75,548 miles

REAR BRAKE PADS 80% WORN

Pass 9 Sep 2015 75,113 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2014 74,877 miles

Bank 2 rocker cover broken,leaking oil.

Pass 27 Sep 2013 73,600 miles

Offside front tyre worn bald on inner edge.

Pass 13 Sep 2012 73,143 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2011 72,452 miles
Fail 27 Sep 2011 72,452 miles

Front registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Nearside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Drag link end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 28 Sep 2010 71,794 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2009 71,058 miles
Pass 11 Oct 2007 70,258 miles
Fail 9 Oct 2007 70,255 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 22 Sep 2006 69,732 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 22 Sep 2006 69,732 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2005 69,003 miles
Pass 26 Sep 2005 62,456 miles

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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E42 KLN is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Black with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

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 E42 KLN, 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 E42 KLN?

You can check the full history of E42 KLN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E42 KLN registered?

E42 KLN is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 23 June 1988.

Is E42 KLN safe to buy?

The MOT history for E42 KLN shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E42 KLN 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 E42 KLN. 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.