CarVerify

Free Car Check

N478 JFV

1996 Mercedes-benz Sl

Blue Petrol 2799cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires9 Sep 2026
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

120,821 mi
Last recorded120,821 miles
Recorded on10 Sep 2025
Typical for 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl82,468 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationN478 JFV
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1996
ColourBlue
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

16 pass 5 fail
Pass 10 Sep 2025 120,821 miles

Front Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 1 Aug 2024 120,703 miles

Front Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

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

Rear Coil spring corroded Both sides (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 21 Sep 2022 127,084 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Both Rears To Brake Hoses (1.1.11 (c))

Coil spring corroded Both Fronts & Both Rears (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Side repeater slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

Oil leak, but not excessive Engine & Differential (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 30 Aug 2022 127,084 miles

Bonnet primary retaining device ineffective (3.1 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Offside Front Upper Shock absorbers has an excessively worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Both rear to flexys (1.1.11 (c))

Coil spring corroded All 4 (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Offside Front Side repeater slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

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

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

Pass 12 May 2021 120,590 miles
Pass 14 May 2019 119,928 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2017 118,433 miles

Direction indicators slightly discoloured All (1.4.A.2f)

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

Nearside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Oil leak ()

Fail 3 Oct 2017 118,433 miles

Direction indicators slightly discoloured All (1.4.A.2f)

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

Nearside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Oil leak ()

Pass 4 Oct 2016 114,440 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded All (3.6.B.2c)

Macpherson strut worn but not seriously weakened Both Front (2.4.G.1)

Oil leak ()

Pass 13 Apr 2015 107,600 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

all brake pipes slightly corroded

nearside front strut top bearing noisey

Fail 13 Apr 2015 107,600 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

all brake pipes slightly corroded

nearside front strut top bearing noisey

Pass 29 Mar 2014 103,682 miles

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Oil leak

exhaust system corroded / deteriorated

nearside rear tyre worn smooth on inner edge

Fail 28 Mar 2014 103,681 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Oil leak

exhaust system corroded / deteriorated

nearside rear tyre worn smooth on inner edge

Pass 2 Apr 2013 100,218 miles

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

Oil leak

exhaust system deteriorating

Pass 22 Mar 2012 90,348 miles

Oil leak

Fail 22 Mar 2012 90,348 miles

Front registration plate incorrect (6.3.1a)

Rear registration plate incorrect (6.3.1a)

Oil leak

Pass 11 Mar 2011 89,545 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Oil leak

Pass 30 Jul 2009 87,162 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2008 86,466 miles

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

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

Oil leak

play in steering box and joints

Pass 24 Jul 2007 85,157 miles

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

Pass 9 May 2006 81,279 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

N478 JFV is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl in Blue with a 2,799cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

Across all 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.3% with a typical mileage of 82,468 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 N478 JFV, 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 30 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 N478 JFV?

You can check the full history of N478 JFV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N478 JFV registered?

N478 JFV is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 9 February 1996.

Is N478 JFV safe to buy?

The MOT history for N478 JFV shows 21 tests with a 76.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N478 JFV 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 N478 JFV. 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.