CarVerify

Free Car Check

P970 RDS

1996 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 3199cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires23 Jun 2025
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

111,714 mi
Last recorded111,714 miles
Recorded on12 Jun 2025
Typical for 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl82,468 mi

Above 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

RegistrationP970 RDS
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1996
ColourSilver
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

18 pass 7 fail
Fail 12 Jun 2025 111,714 miles

Brake performance unable to be tested pipe burst (1.2.1 (g))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe connection leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Brake hose slightly chafed (1.1.12 (b) (i))

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

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

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Pass 21 Jun 2024 111,291 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

corrosion in various places

Pass 24 Jun 2023 111,044 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 4 Oct 2021 109,821 miles

Nearside Rear Brake cable damaged but not to excess handbrake cable outer casing (1.1.15 (a))

Fail 4 Oct 2021 109,821 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Brake cable damaged but not to excess handbrake cable outer casing (1.1.15 (a))

Pass 14 Oct 2020 108,421 miles

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

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

Pass 31 Dec 2019 107,580 miles

exhaust system has surface corrosion

Pass 16 Nov 2018 103,953 miles

Centre exhaust box corroded

Centre exhaust bracket broken

Multiple front and rear suspension bushes deteriorated

Multiple front and rear suspension components corroded

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

Offside front ball joint dust boot deteriorated

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Fail 15 Nov 2018 103,942 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

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

Centre exhaust box corroded

Centre exhaust bracket broken

Multiple front and rear suspension bushes deteriorated

Multiple front and rear suspension components corroded

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

Offside front ball joint dust boot deteriorated

Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Pass 6 Sep 2017 102,468 miles

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

Fail 6 Sep 2017 102,468 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 16 Aug 2016 100,078 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2015 98,562 miles
Pass 29 Aug 2014 96,971 miles
Pass 15 Aug 2013 93,085 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2013 93,082 miles

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 29 Aug 2012 90,312 miles
Fail 29 Aug 2012 90,312 miles

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

Pass 2 Sep 2011 87,410 miles
Pass 25 Aug 2010 85,052 miles
Fail 18 Aug 2010 84,981 miles

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

Pass 12 Aug 2009 81,915 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2008 79,506 miles
Pass 17 Aug 2007 76,809 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2006 73,033 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

P970 RDS is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 3,199cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

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 P970 RDS, 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 P970 RDS?

You can check the full history of P970 RDS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P970 RDS registered?

P970 RDS is a 1996 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 1 August 1996.

Is P970 RDS safe to buy?

The MOT history for P970 RDS shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P970 RDS 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 P970 RDS. 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.