CarVerify

Free Car Check

F551 EBW

1988 Mercedes-benz 420

Green Petrol 4196cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires12 Sep 2023
Tests19 (13 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate68.4%

Mileage

65,670 mi
Last recorded65,670 miles
Recorded on13 Sep 2022
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

RegistrationF551 EBW
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1988
ColourGreen
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

13 pass 6 fail
Pass 13 Sep 2022 65,670 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2021 64,109 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2020 62,635 miles
Pass 31 Dec 2018 57,867 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2018 57,545 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Some surface cracking to offside rear tyre

Fail 27 Mar 2018 57,545 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Some surface cracking to offside rear tyre

Pass 23 Mar 2017 57,003 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit Some surface cracking in tread (4.1.E.1)

front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Fail 22 Mar 2017 57,003 miles

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit Some surface cracking in tread (4.1.E.1)

front brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Pass 5 May 2016 56,976 miles

Front both headlamp reflectors starting to tarnish

Offside Rear do9or stiff

Pass 4 Feb 2015 56,507 miles

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

Fail 3 Feb 2015 56,507 miles

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

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

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Pass 20 Sep 2013 56,438 miles
Pass 26 May 2011 55,371 miles

Nearside Steering component damaged but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

corrosion n/s/f wing front edge

Fail 17 May 2011 55,370 miles

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Nearside Steering component damaged but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

corrosion n/s/f wing front edge

Pass 21 Dec 2008 55,353 miles

Fuel pipe/s corroded

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

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

front and rear suspension has general corrosion

nearside front wing holed

Pass 12 Jul 2007 53,816 miles
Fail 11 Jul 2007 53,816 miles

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 12 Jun 2006 51,808 miles
Fail 12 Jun 2006 51,808 miles

Front Bootlid cannot be secured in the closed position (6.4.1)

Front Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

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

Nearside Front Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

F551 EBW is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420 in Green with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.4%.

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 F551 EBW, 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 F551 EBW?

You can check the full history of F551 EBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F551 EBW registered?

F551 EBW is a 1988 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 2 August 1988.

Is F551 EBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for F551 EBW shows 19 tests with a 68.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F551 EBW 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 F551 EBW. 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.