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P542 RUU

1996 Mercedes-benz C

Silver Petrol 3606cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Nov 2026
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

333,413 mi
Last recorded333,413 miles
Recorded on12 Nov 2025
Typical for 1996 Mercedes-benz C110,579 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mercedes-benz
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP542 RUU
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelC
Year1996
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,606cc

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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 12 Nov 2025 333,413 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2025 333,330 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision worn smooth holed (1.1.2 (c))

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle 46 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Body component corroded and likely to cause injury door,sharp edge (6.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Upper Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 23 Oct 2024 325,849 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2023 318,072 miles

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

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

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

Fail 23 Oct 2023 318,069 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

Pass 31 Oct 2022 313,182 miles

Nearside Both door corroded

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

Pass 8 Nov 2021 310,445 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2020 309,452 miles
Pass 10 May 2019 304,175 miles
Pass 10 May 2018 296,057 miles
Fail 8 May 2018 296,056 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm and a have Deep cut inner (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Pass 8 May 2017 286,775 miles

Oil leak Engine ()

Fail 8 May 2017 286,775 miles

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Oil leak Engine ()

Pass 13 May 2016 273,982 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

engine oil leak

fuel pipe rusty

gear box oil leak

Pass 19 Jun 2015 264,630 miles

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

Oil leak

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

foot brake rubber worn

rust nsf, osf, osr, nsr wheel arch

suspension springs corroded

Fail 17 Jun 2015 264,630 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Hazard warning tell tale not working correctly (1.4.B.1e)

Offside Front position lamp(s) has less than 50% of the light sources illuminating (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

Oil leak

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

foot brake rubber worn

rust nsf, osf, osr, nsr wheel arch

suspension springs corroded

Pass 3 Jul 2014 255,506 miles

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Pass 4 Jul 2013 244,853 miles

Fuel cap sealing washer perishing

Service brake pedal anti-slip provision split on edge

Fail 3 Jul 2013 244,853 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Fuel cap sealing washer perishing

Service brake pedal anti-slip provision split on edge

Pass 5 Jul 2012 235,455 miles

both number plates poor condition

brake pedal rubber worn

fuel filler cap starting to crack

rear suspension springs rusty

Pass 9 Nov 2011 229,217 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

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

both rear brake pipes corroded

fuel cap seal deteriorated slightly

Pass 4 Nov 2010 216,448 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Fail 3 Nov 2010 216,438 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 12 Nov 2009 195,691 miles
Fail 10 Nov 2009 195,691 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 10 Nov 2008 185,936 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2007 165,131 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2006 145,365 miles

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

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

How Reliable is the Mercedes-benz C?

Based on 8,031,355 MOT tests across 683,668 vehicles.

77.6%
Pass Rate
6,412
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
683,668
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 240,078
Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint 76,831
Track rod end ball joint has excessive play 67,503
Brake pipe excessively corroded 66,298
coil spring broken 61,560
Full Mercedes-benz C reliability report

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P542 RUU is a 1996 Mercedes-benz C in Silver with a 3,606cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

Across all 1996 Mercedes-benz C models, the average MOT pass rate is 72.5% with a typical mileage of 110,579 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 C fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 240,078 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P542 RUU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mercedes-benz C typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 30 years old, this Mercedes-benz C is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of P542 RUU?

You can check the full history of P542 RUU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P542 RUU registered?

P542 RUU is a 1996 Mercedes-benz C, first registered on 19 November 1996.

Is P542 RUU safe to buy?

The MOT history for P542 RUU shows 28 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 P542 RUU 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 P542 RUU. 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.