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P203 RUC

1996 Mercedes-benz Sl

Blue Petrol 3199cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Aug 2027
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

69,923 mi
Last recorded69,923 miles
Recorded on12 Aug 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP203 RUC
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1996
ColourBlue
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

15 pass 6 fail
Pass 12 Aug 2026 69,923 miles

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

Fail 30 Jul 2026 69,214 miles

Brake fluid significantly below minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

Brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Front Upper Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Pass 31 Jul 2025 69,202 miles

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

Fail 18 Jul 2025 69,168 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

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

Pass 10 Jul 2024 69,143 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2023 69,126 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2022 69,066 miles

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

Front Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened x2 (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened All (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 5 Jul 2021 68,912 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective x2 (6.1.2 (a))

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

Front Both upper mount have slight play

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened x2 (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Jul 2020 68,431 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Lower Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Fail 10 Jul 2020 68,430 miles

Offside Stop lamp(s) light intensity significantly reduced (4.3.3 (a) (ii))

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Lower Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 26 Jul 2019 66,719 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Fail 15 Jul 2019 66,683 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust has slightly leak of gases

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

Pass 19 Nov 2015 63,685 miles

Offside Front Ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

slight oil leak

Pass 20 Nov 2014 60,714 miles

Nearside Front Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

Oil leak

Fail 14 Nov 2013 52,478 miles

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

Pass 14 Nov 2013 52,478 miles
Pass 8 Dec 2012 46,221 miles

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

Pass 9 Dec 2011 43,802 miles

Centre Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Fail 7 Dec 2011 43,802 miles

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

Rear Tyre(s) incorrect because different size tyres are fitted on the same axle. (4.1.A.1a)

Rear registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Centre Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

Pass 26 Oct 2010 42,222 miles

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

Pass 27 Feb 2006 35,530 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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P203 RUC is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl in Blue with a 3,199cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 P203 RUC, 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 P203 RUC?

You can check the full history of P203 RUC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P203 RUC registered?

P203 RUC is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 8 August 1996.

Is P203 RUC safe to buy?

The MOT history for P203 RUC shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P203 RUC 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 P203 RUC. 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.