CarVerify

Free Car Check

H18 AEJ

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Black Petrol 2799cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Feb 2027
Tests29 (22 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate75.9%

Mileage

61,773 mi
Last recorded61,773 miles
Recorded on20 Feb 2026
Typical for 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl79,403 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 £14.99

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

RegistrationH18 AEJ
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,799cc

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 7 fail
Pass 20 Feb 2026 61,773 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test ()

Nearside Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

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

Power steering pump has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

advise bonnet stay locks u/s

advise both rear brake back plates badly corroded

advise exhaust mid box in very poor condition

advise front and rear sub frames corroded

Fail 10 Feb 2026 61,765 miles

Brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel pedal has excessive travel and is very spongey (1.1.2 (a))

Central Front Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt near side intermediate cross link ball joint boot (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Electrical wiring likely to touch hot or rotating parts abs wiring loom fouling the drive shaft (4.11 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

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

Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Items removed from driver's view prior to test ()

Nearside Rear Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Power steering pump has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both plus osf (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

advise bonnet stay locks u/s

advise both rear brake back plates badly corroded

advise exhaust mid box in very poor condition

advise front and rear sub frames corroded

Pass 20 Feb 2025 60,700 miles

Fuel Pipe/s corroded advise front to rear ()

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Rear advise nsr and osr brake back plates badly corroded

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

advise brake pedal still has long travel but now has some reserve travel

Fail 18 Feb 2025 60,699 miles

Brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel and the pedal is very spongey (1.1.2 (a))

Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded advise front to rear ()

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Rear advise nsr and osr brake back plates badly corroded

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

Pass 9 Feb 2024 59,747 miles
Pass 25 Feb 2023 59,621 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2022 58,684 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2021 58,208 miles
Pass 5 May 2020 57,705 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2019 57,683 miles

all brake pipes have a coating

vehicle underbody has a coating

Pass 22 Sep 2018 57,560 miles

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear at rear (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Upper shock absorber upper rubber mounting split

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened rear suspension arms slightly rusted (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 10 Sep 2018 57,243 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength front chassis leg holed at front (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Shock absorbers insecurely attached rubber mounting split (5.3.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear at rear (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Upper shock absorber upper rubber mounting split

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened rear suspension arm slightly rusted (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Oct 2017 56,866 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2017 56,862 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

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

Pass 13 Oct 2016 55,662 miles
Fail 13 Oct 2016 55,662 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 21 Oct 2015 54,265 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2014 54,547 miles
Fail 16 Oct 2014 54,547 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Fail 22 Oct 2013 50,588 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Side repeater incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 22 Oct 2013 50,588 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2012 47,595 miles

n/s/r tyre cklose to legal limit

Pass 26 Oct 2011 45,019 miles
Pass 11 Aug 2010 39,935 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2009 35,195 miles
Pass 15 Aug 2008 30,865 miles
Pass 15 Aug 2007 28,755 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2007 27,329 miles

n/s/r brake pipe corroded

o/s/r brake pipe corroded

Pass 1 Mar 2006 24,805 miles

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

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

H18 AEJ is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Black with a 2,799cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75.9%.

Across all 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 81.5% with a typical mileage of 79,403 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 H18 AEJ, 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 29 years old, this Mercedes-benz Sl is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of H18 AEJ?

You can check the full history of H18 AEJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H18 AEJ registered?

H18 AEJ is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is H18 AEJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for H18 AEJ shows 29 tests with a 75.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H18 AEJ 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 H18 AEJ. 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.