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F251 BSB

1989 Mercedes-benz Sl

Red Petrol 2962cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 Mar 2026
Tests34 (20 pass, 14 fail)
Pass rate58.8%

Mileage

174,327 mi
Last recorded174,327 miles
Recorded on3 Mar 2025
Typical for 1989 Mercedes-benz Sl79,304 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationF251 BSB
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1989
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,962cc

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 14 fail
Pass 3 Mar 2025 174,327 miles
Pass 26 Mar 2024 174,127 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorber corroded

Pass 28 Mar 2023 173,945 miles

Nearside Front Fog lamp not working

Nearside Rear Reverse lamp not working

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

Fail 2 Mar 2023 173,944 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting Hole in sill within 30 cm of chassis reinforcement (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Vehicle structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting Hole in sill within 30 cm of chassis reinforcement (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Hole in sill within 30 cm of suspension mounting (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering Under ABS unit (6.1.1 (c) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Accelerator pedal incorrectly mounted

Nearside Front Fog lamp not working

Nearside Rear Reverse lamp not working

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

Pass 30 Mar 2022 173,854 miles

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

Fail 24 Mar 2022 173,842 miles

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

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

Fail 9 Mar 2022 173,819 miles

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

Nearside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength sill end/arch area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength wheel arch area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 18 Mar 2021 173,695 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2020 173,107 miles
Pass 4 Mar 2019 172,141 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2018 171,290 miles
Fail 22 Mar 2018 171,290 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 23 Mar 2017 170,506 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Apr 2016 169,223 miles

oil leak

Fail 7 Apr 2016 169,223 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

oil leak

Pass 1 May 2015 16,823 miles

various underbody corrosion

Fail 28 Apr 2015 168,230 miles

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

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

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

various underbody corrosion

Pass 8 Apr 2014 166,738 miles

Nearside Front Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Fail 7 Apr 2014 166,738 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

Pass 23 Apr 2013 164,836 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

body and underbody corrsion

Fail 22 Apr 2013 164,836 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

body and underbody corrsion

Pass 16 Apr 2012 163,522 miles

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

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

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

park brake travel high

various underbody weld repairs

Pass 12 May 2011 161,273 miles

fuel lines corroded

underbody corrsion

Fail 27 Apr 2011 161,273 miles

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

Offside Front Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.A.1)

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

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively damaged (3.6.B.4d) DANGEROUS

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

fuel lines corroded

rear disc pitted

underbody corrsion

Pass 24 May 2010 159,813 miles
Fail 29 Apr 2010 159,813 miles

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

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

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

Offside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 7 May 2009 158,604 miles
Fail 7 May 2009 158,604 miles

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Pass 1 May 2008 156,926 miles

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Fail 30 Apr 2008 156,926 miles

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Pass 22 May 2007 155,845 miles
Fail 1 May 2007 155,842 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Pass 17 May 2006 154,411 miles
Fail 16 May 2006 145,398 miles

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Offside Rear Seat belt has a cut which has significantly weakened the webbing (5.2.2a) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

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

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz Sl?

Based on 528,820 MOT tests across 35,553 vehicles.

83.4%
Pass Rate
2,023
Miles/Year
43
Year Lifespan
35,553
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 8,801
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,812
Brake pipe excessively corroded 3,463
Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords 3,077
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 2,767
Full Mercedes-benz Sl reliability report

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F251 BSB is a 1989 Mercedes-benz Sl in Red with a 2,962cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 34 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.8%.

Across all 1989 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 79.4% with a typical mileage of 79,304 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 Sl fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 8,801 recorded failures. If you're considering buying F251 BSB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz Sl typically stays on UK roads for around 43 years. At 37 years old, this Mercedes-benz Sl is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of F251 BSB?

You can check the full history of F251 BSB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F251 BSB registered?

F251 BSB is a 1989 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 31 December 1989.

Is F251 BSB safe to buy?

The MOT history for F251 BSB shows 34 tests with a 58.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F251 BSB 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 F251 BSB. 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.