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LJ53 VBF

2003 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 3724cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Aug 2027
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

87,227 mi
Last recorded87,227 miles
Recorded on26 Aug 2026
Typical for 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl53,586 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationLJ53 VBF
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year2003
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,724cc

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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 26 Aug 2026 87,227 miles

Front Engine mounts worn

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Fail 14 Aug 2026 87,226 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Engine mounts worn

Nearside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Front Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Pass 15 Aug 2025 86,338 miles

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

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

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

Pass 15 Aug 2024 85,608 miles

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

Fail 12 Aug 2024 85,607 miles

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

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

Pass 29 Jun 2023 84,665 miles

Nearside Front Tyre Wearing on Inner Edge

Pass 27 Jun 2022 84,157 miles

Electronic stability control warning lamp not working (7.12 (e))

Pass 4 Aug 2021 82,706 miles
Fail 31 Jul 2021 82,706 miles

Nearside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) osf inner tie rod excessive movement in. (2.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Offside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 29 Jul 2020 82,310 miles

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

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 24 Jul 2020 82,310 miles

Offside Front Obligatory mirror does not provide a view to the rear (3.3 (c))

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

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 1 May 2019 82,069 miles
Fail 26 Apr 2019 82,069 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 27 Apr 2018 80,954 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Fail 3 Apr 2018 80,924 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has an excessively worn shock absorber pivot Lower Mount (2.7.4)

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt Strut Arm (2.2.C.1c)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Pass 20 Mar 2017 79,810 miles
Fail 20 Mar 2017 79,810 miles

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 23 Mar 2016 77,947 miles

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement At subframe (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 9 Jan 2015 71,533 miles
Fail 8 Jan 2015 71,531 miles

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

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

Offside Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h)

slight play n/s steering rack

slight sweat n/s front shocker

Pass 24 Feb 2014 66,008 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2012 64,661 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Pass 28 Nov 2011 60,600 miles

n/s/f shocker has slight mist around ram seal

Fail 23 Nov 2011 60,397 miles

Offside Front Fluid suspension leaking (2.4.D.2)

Nearside Rear Fluid suspension leaking (2.4.D.2) DANGEROUS

n/s/f shocker has slight mist around ram seal

Pass 17 Dec 2010 50,200 miles

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

Pass 6 Nov 2009 41,366 miles

dampness on nearside rear shock absorber

Pass 18 Sep 2008 36,165 miles
Pass 19 Sep 2007 33,788 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

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LJ53 VBF is a 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 3,724cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

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 VBF, 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 VBF?

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

What year was LJ53 VBF registered?

LJ53 VBF is a 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 28 October 2003.

Is LJ53 VBF safe to buy?

The MOT history for LJ53 VBF shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does LJ53 VBF 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 VBF. 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.