CarVerify

Free Car Check

P21 EVJ

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Blue Petrol 4973cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Jun 2027
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

76,944 mi
Last recorded76,944 miles
Recorded on6 Jun 2026
Typical for 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl79,403 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

RegistrationP21 EVJ
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine4,973cc

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

18 pass 8 fail
Pass 6 Jun 2026 76,944 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 26 May 2026 76,925 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 30 May 2025 76,417 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2024 76,021 miles

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

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

Pass 6 Feb 2023 74,990 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2022 74,233 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened surface corrosion to all suspension components (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 10 Feb 2022 74,233 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (1.6 (b))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened surface corrosion to all suspension components (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 13 Jan 2021 74,139 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

exhaust system corroded

surface corrosion to rear suspension components

Fail 13 Jan 2021 74,139 miles

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (1.1.6 (d))

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

exhaust system corroded

surface corrosion to rear suspension components

Pass 8 Apr 2019 74,049 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Road wheel slightly distorted all 4 wheels (5.2.2 (c) (i))

engine trims fitted

under trays fitted

Pass 13 Sep 2017 73,968 miles

Nearside Front Outer Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

Offside Front Outer Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

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

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

all rear suspension arm bushes perished

small crack in os head lamp

under trays fitted

Pass 7 Jun 2016 73,837 miles

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

Fail 7 Jun 2016 73,837 miles

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

Nearside Front Wheel bolt(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Pass 12 Mar 2015 73,644 miles
Pass 4 Oct 2013 73,472 miles
Fail 1 Oct 2013 73,452 miles

Anti-lock braking system warning lamp indicates an ABS fault (3.4.1c)

Pass 7 Sep 2012 73,268 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2011 73,032 miles
Fail 15 Mar 2011 73,026 miles

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

Pass 22 Mar 2010 72,781 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

both front fog light lenses cracked

chip in offside headlight lens

engine oil leak

exhaust corroding

front and rear brake discs slightly rusty

nearside front wheel inner rim dented

offside front tyre side wall damaged

offside rear wheel inner rim dented

Pass 19 Jan 2009 69,226 miles

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

srs light on

Fail 9 Jan 2009 69,220 miles

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

srs light on

Pass 1 Feb 2008 66,406 miles

both front tyres wearing on edges

Pass 15 May 2007 65,033 miles
Fail 8 May 2007 65,008 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b) DANGEROUS

Pass 31 Mar 2006 63,335 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

P21 EVJ is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Blue with a 4,973cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

Across all 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 81.5% with a typical mileage of 79,403 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 P21 EVJ, 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 29 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 P21 EVJ?

You can check the full history of P21 EVJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P21 EVJ registered?

P21 EVJ is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 3 June 1997.

Is P21 EVJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for P21 EVJ shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P21 EVJ 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 P21 EVJ. 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.