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ESU 881

2005 Mercedes-benz C

Silver Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Mar 2027
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

118,665 mi
Last recorded118,665 miles
Recorded on26 Feb 2026
Typical for 2005 Mercedes-benz C83,800 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationESU 881
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelC
Year2005
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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 26 Feb 2026 118,665 miles

Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Both rear link bars (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Exhaust centre box corroded and blowing

Pass 25 Feb 2025 114,862 miles

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn on edges (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 5 Mar 2024 112,274 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rears (1.1.11 (c))

Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 7 Mar 2023 108,887 miles

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

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rears (1.1.11 (c))

Exhaust silencer corroded

Fail 28 Feb 2023 108,885 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rears (1.1.11 (c))

Exhaust silencer corroded

Pass 8 Mar 2022 105,596 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material All greased (1.1.11 (c))

Front Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 23 Feb 2021 102,551 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all greased (1.1.11 (c))

front exhaust bracket weak

Fail 22 Feb 2021 102,551 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all greased (1.1.11 (c))

front exhaust bracket weak

Pass 4 Mar 2020 101,378 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge on wear markers (5.2.3 (e))

Wheel bearing has slight play both front (5.1.3 (a) (i))

front exhaust bracket weak

Fail 2 Mar 2020 101,375 miles

Emissions not tested (8.2.1.2 (d))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge on wear markers (5.2.3 (e))

Wheel bearing has slight play both front (5.1.3 (a) (i))

front exhaust bracket weak

Pass 11 Mar 2019 95,679 miles

front exhaust bracket weak

Pass 5 Mar 2018 91,876 miles

Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint both (2.4.G.2)

eml on

front exhaust bracket weak

Fail 5 Mar 2018 91,876 miles

Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint both (2.4.G.2)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported bracket snapped, chalked in yellow (7.1.1)

eml on

front exhaust bracket weak

Pass 6 Mar 2017 87,842 miles

Nearside Front Front suspension has slight play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 6 Apr 2016 84,203 miles
Fail 19 Mar 2016 84,199 miles

Offside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 16 Dec 2014 82,102 miles
Pass 28 Nov 2013 72,819 miles

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

Nearside Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Fail 26 Nov 2013 72,810 miles

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

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

Nearside Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 5 Dec 2012 64,964 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2011 57,319 miles

slight play in both front wheel bearings

Pass 6 Dec 2010 50,848 miles

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

Fail 30 Nov 2009 45,657 miles

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Pass 30 Nov 2009 45,657 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2008 39,021 miles

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz C?

Based on 8,031,355 MOT tests across 683,668 vehicles.

77.6%
Pass Rate
6,412
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
683,668
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 240,078
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 76,831
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 67,503
Brake pipe excessively corroded 66,298
coil spring broken 61,560
Full Mercedes-benz C reliability report

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ESU 881 is a 2005 Mercedes-benz C in Silver with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

Across all 2005 Mercedes-benz C models, the average MOT pass rate is 73.3% with a typical mileage of 83,800 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 C fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 240,078 recorded failures. If you're considering buying ESU 881, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz C typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 21 years old, this Mercedes-benz C is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of ESU 881?

You can check the full history of ESU 881 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ESU 881 registered?

ESU 881 is a 2005 Mercedes-benz C, first registered on 7 December 2005.

Is ESU 881 safe to buy?

The MOT history for ESU 881 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 ESU 881 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 ESU 881. 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.