CarVerify

Free Car Check

F37 UPB

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Silver Petrol 4196cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires25 Apr 2026
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

129,443 mi
Last recorded129,443 miles
Recorded on23 Apr 2025
Typical for 1988 Mercedes-benz 420101,568 mi

Above 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

RegistrationF37 UPB
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1988
ColourSilver
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

19 pass 7 fail
Pass 23 Apr 2025 129,443 miles

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 16 Apr 2024 129,120 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2023 128,903 miles
Pass 13 Apr 2022 128,058 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2021 127,445 miles
Pass 6 Apr 2020 127,310 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2019 126,331 miles
Pass 10 May 2018 125,880 miles
Pass 18 May 2017 124,818 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2016 123,869 miles

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

offside & nearside rear suspension bushes wearing

several areas of corrosion repairs on underside

Fail 28 Apr 2016 123,869 miles

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber mounting deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

offside & nearside rear suspension bushes wearing

several areas of corrosion repairs on underside

Pass 12 May 2015 118,792 miles

slightly high idle speed

Fail 24 Apr 2015 118,646 miles

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.A.2a)

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 9 May 2014 114,628 miles
Fail 2 May 2014 114,515 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Horn not a continuous or uniform sound (1.6.2e)

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

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

Oil leak

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

Pass 23 Nov 2012 112,250 miles

slight play in steering box

Fail 22 Nov 2012 112,250 miles

Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

slight play in steering box

Pass 14 Dec 2011
Fail 7 Dec 2011 109,733 miles

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

rear brakes are over 25% imbalance

Pass 2 Dec 2010 105,427 miles
Fail 25 Nov 2010 105,427 miles

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

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)

Pass 5 Dec 2009 100,991 miles
Fail 30 Nov 2009 100,991 miles

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

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Pass 12 May 2008 92,344 miles
Pass 11 May 2007 85,072 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Oil leak

only just passed exhaust emissions

Pass 12 May 2006 78,659 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

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

F37 UPB is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Silver with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

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 F37 UPB, 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 F37 UPB?

You can check the full history of F37 UPB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F37 UPB registered?

F37 UPB is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 26 October 1988.

Is F37 UPB safe to buy?

The MOT history for F37 UPB shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F37 UPB 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 F37 UPB. 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.