CarVerify

Free Car Check

FSS 500

1987 Mercedes-benz 420

Red Petrol 4196cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Jul 2027
Tests31 (22 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate71%

Mileage

86,337 mi
Last recorded86,337 miles
Recorded on18 Jun 2026
Typical for 1987 Mercedes-benz 420100,068 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

RegistrationFSS 500
MakeMercedes-benz
Model420
Year1987
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

22 pass 9 fail
Pass 18 Jun 2026 86,337 miles

Steering box has seepage (2.1.1 (e) (i))

Pass 18 Jun 2025 86,335 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2024 85,793 miles

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

Pass 26 Jun 2023 85,322 miles
Fail 23 Jun 2023 85,297 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 15 Jun 2022 85,252 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2021 85,145 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3mm (5.2.3 (e))

Nearside Rear Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3mm (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

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

Pass 16 Jun 2020 84,937 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 13 Jun 2019 84,750 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Power steering component has slight seepage from a component steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 23 Jun 2018 84,610 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Fail 22 Jun 2018 84,607 miles

Power steering component leaking steering box (2.1.5 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Pass 29 Jun 2017 84,228 miles

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component steering box (2.3.3b)

front tyres starting to crack but not showing ply or cords

Fail 29 Jun 2017 84,228 miles

Power steering component(s) leaking steering box (2.3.3b)

front tyres starting to crack but not showing ply or cords

Pass 23 Jun 2016 83,504 miles

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

handbrake warning light innoperative

slight oil leak from automatic transmission

Fail 23 Jun 2016 83,504 miles

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

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

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

handbrake warning light innoperative

slight oil leak from automatic transmission

Pass 22 Jun 2015 82,367 miles

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

Fail 15 Jun 2015 82,355 miles

Nearside Front Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Sub-frame rubber bush deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 2 Jul 2014 82,029 miles

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

front subframe, all bushes deteriorated

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

Pass 8 Jul 2013 81,667 miles

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

Pass 19 Jun 2012 81,055 miles

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

Pass 18 Jun 2011 80,243 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

slight leak at steering box

Fail 10 Jun 2011 80,240 miles

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

slight leak at steering box

Pass 9 Jul 2010 79,450 miles

Nearside Front Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 5 Jul 2010 79,446 miles

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside Front Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 2 Jul 2009 78,893 miles

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Fail 1 Jul 2009 78,870 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

slight noise from offside front wheel bearing

Pass 3 Jun 2008 77,976 miles

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Fail 2 Jun 2008 77,975 miles

Centre Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a seal (2.3.3b)

Pass 13 Jun 2007 76,846 miles

Offside Front 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)

Pass 15 Jun 2006 75,519 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2005 73,675 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

FSS 500 is a 1987 Mercedes-benz 420 in Red with a 4,196cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71%.

Across all 1987 Mercedes-benz 420 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.9% with a typical mileage of 100,068 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 FSS 500, 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 39 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 FSS 500?

You can check the full history of FSS 500 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FSS 500 registered?

FSS 500 is a 1987 Mercedes-benz 420, first registered on 1 August 1987.

Is FSS 500 safe to buy?

The MOT history for FSS 500 shows 31 tests with a 71% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FSS 500 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 FSS 500. 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.