CarVerify

Free Car Check

N489 NWS

1996 Mercedes-benz Sl

Green Petrol 3199cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Oct 2027
Tests29 (21 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate72.4%

Mileage

70,362 mi
Last recorded70,362 miles
Recorded on2 Oct 2026
Typical for 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl82,468 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

RegistrationN489 NWS
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1996
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,199cc

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

21 pass 8 fail
Pass 2 Oct 2026 70,362 miles

Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured both sides (4.4.3 (a))

Front Wheel bearing has slight play both sides (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

Oil leak, but not excessive engine/transmission (8.4.1 (a) (i))

front and rear suspension components corroded

Fail 29 Sep 2026 70,351 miles

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

Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured both sides (4.4.3 (a))

Front Wheel bearing has slight play both sides (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

Oil leak, but not excessive engine/transmission (8.4.1 (a) (i))

front and rear suspension components corroded

Pass 26 Sep 2025 69,904 miles

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

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

Fail 17 Sep 2025 69,904 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp light intensity severely reduced pin hole in lense causing corrosion inside head light (4.1.4 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle mudflap loose (5.2.3 (f))

Nearside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 11 Sep 2024 69,064 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2023 68,173 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged Side wall. (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Fail 11 Sep 2023 68,173 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements Doesnt have a continuous 11mm margin along top of plate. (0.1 (d))

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

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged Side wall. (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 6 Sep 2022 66,991 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2021 65,527 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 27 Jul 2020 64,694 miles

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 26 Jul 2019 63,078 miles

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread both (0.1 (b))

Pass 26 Jul 2018 61,251 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

cut in nearside front tyre

Fail 26 Jul 2018 61,251 miles

Front Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

cut in nearside front tyre

Pass 27 Jul 2017 58,054 miles

Both rear tyres wearing low

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 21 Jul 2016 55,839 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 27 Jul 2015 53,925 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 27 Jul 2015 53,925 miles

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

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

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 25 Jul 2014 51,861 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Fail 25 Jul 2014 51,857 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

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

Pass 18 Jul 2013 49,098 miles
Fail 17 Jul 2013 49,098 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Drag link end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

exhaust bracket broken

Pass 24 Jul 2012 45,599 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2011 43,288 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2010 40,302 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2009 37,930 miles
Fail 21 Jul 2009 37,930 miles

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

Pass 26 Jul 2008 35,739 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2007 33,924 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2006 32,185 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

N489 NWS is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl in Green with a 3,199cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.4%.

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 N489 NWS, 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 N489 NWS?

You can check the full history of N489 NWS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N489 NWS registered?

N489 NWS is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 28 June 1996.

Is N489 NWS safe to buy?

The MOT history for N489 NWS shows 29 tests with a 72.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N489 NWS 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 N489 NWS. 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.