CarVerify

Free Car Check

F221 JBH

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Red Petrol 4196cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Mar 2027
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

93,210 mi
Last recorded93,210 miles
Recorded on26 Mar 2026
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
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

RegistrationF221 JBH
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1988
ColourRed
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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 26 Mar 2026 93,210 miles

Nearside Front Sill corroded

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases Box (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 6 Feb 2026 93,209 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded and likely to fail (1.1.12 (f) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded and likely to fail (1.1.12 (f) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Gear change linkage bush missing rear under car

Nearside Front Sill corroded

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases Box (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 31 Oct 2024 92,999 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2023 92,828 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2022 92,449 miles
Pass 4 Oct 2021 91,881 miles
Fail 4 Oct 2021 91,881 miles

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

Pass 23 Oct 2020 91,111 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2019 90,621 miles

Nearside Front Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 22 May 2018 89,833 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded fuel pipes by fuel pump ()

Pass 12 May 2017 89,408 miles
Pass 24 May 2016 88,740 miles

corrosion appearing around o/s/f jacking point

fuel filter starting to corrode pipe from pump to filter corroding

Pass 27 May 2015 88,113 miles
Fail 27 May 2015 88,113 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Brake hose leaking (3.6.A.1) DANGEROUS

Pass 4 Jun 2014 87,012 miles

Both outer sills have bad surface corrosion

Fail 2 Jun 2014 87,001 miles

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

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

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

Both outer sills have bad surface corrosion

Pass 28 May 2013 86,058 miles
Pass 26 Mar 2012 85,171 miles

Front Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

drive belts worn and cracking

Fail 24 Mar 2012 85,171 miles

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

Front Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

drive belts worn and cracking

Fail 5 Apr 2011 84,888 miles

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

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

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

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

free play at steering box becoming excessive

front number plate slightly delaminating

n/s o/s front wiper blades slightly smearing

slight oil leak auto gearbox sump area

slight oil leak n/s rear head area

slight play n/s steering idler

slight water leak bulkhead heater control valve

Pass 5 Apr 2011 84,888 miles

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

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

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

free play at steering box becoming excessive

front number plate slightly delaminating

n/s o/s front wiper blades slightly smearing

slight oil leak auto gearbox sump area

slight oil leak n/s rear head area

slight play n/s steering idler

slight water leak bulkhead heater control valve

Pass 6 Apr 2010 81,702 miles

Advise slight play offside front bottom ball joint

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

Fail 26 Mar 2010 81,702 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

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

Advise slight play offside front bottom ball joint

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

Pass 30 Mar 2009 79,473 miles

corrosion to fuel pipes

gear oil leak

genaral corrosion to under side

rear ttyrs low on tread

slight play in steering box

Fail 26 Mar 2009 79,473 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

corrosion to fuel pipes

gear oil leak

genaral corrosion to under side

rear ttyrs low on tread

slight play in steering box

Fail 21 Feb 2009 79,455 miles

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

Nearside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 15 Jan 2008 77,393 miles

Nearside Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 6 Jan 2007 75,759 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2005 36,603 miles

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

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

F221 JBH is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Red with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

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 F221 JBH, 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 F221 JBH?

You can check the full history of F221 JBH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F221 JBH registered?

F221 JBH is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 22 August 1988.

Is F221 JBH safe to buy?

The MOT history for F221 JBH shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F221 JBH 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 F221 JBH. 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.