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F159 SMH

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Blue Petrol 4196cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires7 Sep 2018
Tests18 (11 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate61.1%

Mileage

163,792 mi
Last recorded163,792 miles
Recorded on5 Sep 2017
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz 420101,568 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationF159 SMH
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

11 pass 7 fail
Pass 5 Sep 2017 163,792 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2016 163,303 miles
Fail 8 Sep 2016 163,303 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 14 Aug 2015 162,108 miles

Nearside wiper split but still clears screen effectively

Rear subframe mounting area slightly corroded

Rear wheel arches have corrosion not likely to cause injury

Steering box has a slight oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Pass 31 Jul 2014 160,057 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 5 Jul 2013 157,921 miles
Pass 27 Jun 2012 154,270 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Fail 23 Mar 2012 153,445 miles

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear rear brake juddering severely (3.7.A.5b)

Offside Front Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Steering box has a significant oil leak (2.2.D.2e)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Boot pan off side & near side corroded

Near side wiper blade damaged

Off side floor pan damaged

Viscous coupling siezed

Pass 15 Jul 2011 152,765 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 15 Jul 2011 152,765 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

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

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

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

Offside Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

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

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

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Fail 11 Jul 2011 152,765 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Pass 6 Nov 2009 148,800 miles
Fail 6 Nov 2009 148,800 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

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

Pass 12 Jun 2008 147,491 miles

Front Suspension arm rubber bush 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)

all 4 bottom shocker bushes starting to perish

o/s/f antiroll bar hanger rusty

vehicle underside rusty in places

Fail 6 Jun 2008 147,489 miles

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar rubber mounting deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

all 4 bottom shocker bushes starting to perish

o/s/f antiroll bar hanger rusty

oil leak breather pipe off bottom of air filter

vehicle underside rusty in places

Pass 21 Jun 2007 145,806 miles

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

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

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

general underside corrosion

rear exhausht mounting rubber splitting

slight oil mist at pas box

Fail 7 Jun 2007 145,744 miles

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

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

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

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

general rear underside corrosion

pas box has slight oil mist from oil seal

rear exhaust mounting rubber splitting

Pass 7 Jun 2006 143,050 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Suspension arm rubber bush 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)

rear undersid3e slight corroded

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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F159 SMH is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Blue with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 61.1%.

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 F159 SMH, 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 F159 SMH?

You can check the full history of F159 SMH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F159 SMH registered?

F159 SMH is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 14 November 1988.

Is F159 SMH safe to buy?

The MOT history for F159 SMH shows 18 tests with a 61.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F159 SMH 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 F159 SMH. 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.