CarVerify

Free Car Check

LJ53 LPU

2003 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 5439cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 May 2027
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

70,079 mi
Last recorded70,079 miles
Recorded on1 May 2026
Typical for 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl53,586 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 £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

RegistrationLJ53 LPU
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year2003
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine5,439cc

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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 1 May 2026 70,079 miles

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

Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule and rear (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 1 May 2026 70,079 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

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

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

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule and rear (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 2 May 2025 69,347 miles

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

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front washers could be better

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

trays and covers fitted

Pass 23 Apr 2024 68,856 miles

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

Fail 22 Apr 2024 68,856 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn rear ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play rear ball joint (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Apr 2023 68,726 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play as marked in yellow. (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Apr 2022 68,100 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2021 67,156 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2020 65,357 miles
Pass 4 Dec 2018 64,011 miles
Pass 6 Dec 2017 61,588 miles
Fail 28 Nov 2017 61,556 miles

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

Pass 29 Nov 2016 57,997 miles
Pass 5 Nov 2015 54,676 miles
Pass 12 Jan 2015 53,628 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 21 Nov 2013 51,196 miles
Fail 19 Nov 2013 51,180 miles

Supplementary Restraint System warning lamp indicates a fault (5.4.2)

Pass 21 Sep 2012 44,921 miles
Fail 20 Sep 2012 44,918 miles

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

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

DAMAGE TO OUTER WALL OF N/S/F TYRE

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

N/S/R TYRE WEARING ON INNER EDGE

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 22 Dec 2011 43,267 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2011 43,267 miles

Front Road wheel cracked (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Rear Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Pass 25 Jan 2010 31,589 miles
Pass 14 Jan 2009 25,229 miles
Pass 31 Dec 2008 25,190 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2008 22,144 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2007 19,210 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

LJ53 LPU is a 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 5,439cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

Across all 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.5% with a typical mileage of 53,586 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 LJ53 LPU, 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 23 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 LJ53 LPU?

You can check the full history of LJ53 LPU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was LJ53 LPU registered?

LJ53 LPU is a 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 24 November 2003.

Is LJ53 LPU safe to buy?

The MOT history for LJ53 LPU shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does LJ53 LPU 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 LJ53 LPU. 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.