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N88 SPY

2003 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 5439cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Jan 2027
Tests28 (21 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

178,762 mi
Last recorded178,762 miles
Recorded on20 Jan 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

RegistrationN88 SPY
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

21 pass 7 fail
Pass 20 Jan 2026 178,762 miles

EML on

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

Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement All four front end suspension arms -2 per side (5.3.4 (a) (i))

n/s/f inner arch area showing slight corrosion/arch liner missing

slight play noted o/s steering system

vehicle struggled to pass emission test

Fail 20 Dec 2025 178,686 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn front arm (5.3.4 (a) (i))

EML on

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

front discs showing wear /unable to see condition of all brake pads

front no plate delaminating

n/s/f inner arch area showing slight corrosion/liner missing

o/s steering system has slight play

struggled to pass emission test

Pass 7 Apr 2025 176,614 miles

All brake discs showing varying degrees of surface corrosion

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

n/s/f inner arch chassis area showing corrosion/arch liner missing

play noted in o/s steering system

suspect ESP system has intermittent fault

Pass 9 Oct 2023 174,248 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp has a product on the lens but not seriously reducing light output (4.1.4 (b))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 7 Sep 2023 173,738 miles

Nearside Front Macpherson strut ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Macpherson strut ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp indicates a fault (7.1.6 (a))

Offside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Pass 7 Sep 2022 166,563 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wearing in inner edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wearing on inner edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 19 Mar 2022 160,483 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2022 160,483 miles

Emissions not tested (8.2.1.2 (d))

Pass 13 Mar 2021 156,575 miles
Fail 13 Mar 2021 156,575 miles

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

Pass 18 Oct 2019 155,905 miles

Front Suspension component ball joint has slight play Both (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 15 Oct 2018 147,473 miles

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Both 3mm (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Both 3mm (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 13 Feb 2018 143,222 miles

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint Bottom Of Air Bag joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Pass 6 Sep 2017 138,343 miles

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

Engine management light on .

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

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

Offside Front Tie bar/rod has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 24 Mar 2017 132,493 miles

Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated n/s & o/s (3.6.B.4d)

front suspension airbag bottom ball joint slight play

Pass 10 Jul 2015 125,143 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 9 Aug 2013 111,349 miles

play in both front lower shock absorber joints

Fail 5 Aug 2013 111,339 miles

Headlamp cleaning device inoperative (1.7.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

play in both front lower shock absorber joints

Pass 28 May 2012 100,609 miles
Fail 28 May 2012 100,609 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Rear registration plate character(s) not correctly formed (6.3.4b)

Pass 29 Mar 2011 96,355 miles

Nearside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Slight play in N/S/F & O/S/F Susp:/Shocker Absorber Ball joints.

Fail 23 Mar 2011 96,354 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Inner Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

Slight play in N/S/F & O/S/F Susp:/Shocker Absorber Ball joints.

Pass 4 Jun 2010 93,811 miles
Pass 11 Jan 2010 91,960 miles

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Pass 8 Jan 2009 81,605 miles

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

Pass 8 Jan 2008 71,758 miles

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

Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Pass 5 Jan 2007 60,956 miles
Pass 21 Dec 2005 48,957 miles

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

Offside Outer Rear Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

o/s inner washer jet blocked

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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N88 SPY is a 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 5,439cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 N88 SPY, 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 N88 SPY?

You can check the full history of N88 SPY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was N88 SPY registered?

N88 SPY is a 2003 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 10 January 2003.

Is N88 SPY safe to buy?

The MOT history for N88 SPY shows 28 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does N88 SPY 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 N88 SPY. 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.