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L500 SSL

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Blue Petrol 4973cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Aug 2026
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

94,610 mi
Last recorded94,610 miles
Recorded on15 Aug 2025
Typical for 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl79,403 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationL500 SSL
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,973cc

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

18 pass 4 fail
Pass 15 Aug 2025 94,610 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2024 94,309 miles
Fail 31 May 2024 94,308 miles

Emissions unable to be completed major exhaust blow from manifold (8.2.1.2 (d))

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

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

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

Offside Rear All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Fail 8 Feb 2024 94,295 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Upper Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases front pipe to manifold joint (6.1.2 (a))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view chipped (3.2 (a) (i))

corrosion to underside of vehicle and components

exhaust system corroding

Pass 8 Oct 2022 93,790 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases ( joint ) system badly corroded (6.1.2 (a))

engine and under trays fitted

slight leak from rear diff

windscreen chipped

Pass 21 Aug 2021 92,710 miles

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted has welded repair (5.2.2 (c) (i))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view chipped (3.2 (a) (i))

engine and under trays fitted

exhaust system corroded

general surface corrosion through out lower suspension components

Fail 3 Jul 2021 92,688 miles

Nearside Front Road wheel fractured inner rim (5.2.2 (a)) DANGEROUS

Brake hose slightly deteriorated both rear hoses (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases offside front down pipe area (6.1.2 (a))

Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement both outer bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Wheel bearing has slight play both front bearings (5.1.3 (a) (i))

engine cover and under trays fitted not allowing full inspection

front wiper blade smearing screen slightly

full exhaust deteriorating

outer sill covers fitted not allowing full inspection

slight corrosion to offside front jacking point area

Pass 19 May 2020 92,109 miles

FRONT EXHAUST JOINT SLIGHT LEAK

N/S FRONT CHILD SEAT FITTED SEAT BELT NOT TESTED

O/S FRONT FOG LIGHT NOT WORKING

REAR AXEL DIFF SLIGHT LEAK

Pass 8 Feb 2019 91,491 miles

Brake disc worn, but not excessively all (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view chipped (3.2 (a) (i))

engine and under trays fitted

exhaust system corroded

Pass 9 Feb 2018 91,185 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened all (3.5.1i)

engine covers fitted

exhaust system corroded slight leak from offside front pipe

under trays fitted

Pass 27 Jan 2017 90,777 miles

Engine cover and under trays fitted

Pass 6 Feb 2016 90,122 miles

engine covers and under trays fitted

Pass 5 Feb 2015 89,289 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Offside Side repeater slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 5 Feb 2014 86,586 miles

General surface corrosion to exhaust system in places.

Large plastic under tray fitted to under side of vhicle in places.Unable to inspect steering and suspension fully.

Fail 4 Feb 2014 86,583 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

General surface corrosion to exhaust system in places.

Large plastic under tray fitted to under side of vhicle in places.Unable to inspect steering and suspension fully.

Pass 4 Feb 2013 80,435 miles
Pass 10 May 2011 75,830 miles
Pass 10 May 2010 71,411 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2009 70,563 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2008 66,877 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2007 62,268 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2006 59,659 miles

rear tyres signs of sidewall perishing parking and service brakes rather long travel

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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L500 SSL is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Blue with a 4,973cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81.8%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 L500 SSL, 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 L500 SSL?

You can check the full history of L500 SSL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L500 SSL registered?

L500 SSL is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 28 January 1997.

Is L500 SSL safe to buy?

The MOT history for L500 SSL shows 22 tests with a 81.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L500 SSL 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 L500 SSL. 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.