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R113 VDB

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 3199cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Mar 2027
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

128,930 mi
Last recorded128,930 miles
Recorded on26 Mar 2026
Typical for 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl79,403 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR113 VDB
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
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 4 fail
Pass 26 Mar 2026 128,930 miles

Central exhaust box rusted

Nearside Front steering arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated slighty

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

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

oil leak from rear diff

Pass 17 Mar 2025 128,741 miles

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

Centre silencer corroded

Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured BOTH (4.4.3 (a))

Front fog lamp tell tale not working

Headlamp washers not working

Rear Fluid leak, but not excessive Differential weeping (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

Side repeater slightly discoloured BOTH (4.4.3 (a))

Steering idler arm gaiter covered in silicone

Under carriage corroded

Washers weak

Windscreen wiper blade defective Smeary (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 15 Mar 2024 128,738 miles

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

Centre exhaust silencer corroded

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Nearside Side repeater slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Side repeater slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

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

Rear differential weeping

Steering idler gaiter covered in silicone

Under carriage corroded

Pass 21 Dec 2022 128,665 miles

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

Exhaust centre silencer corroded

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

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

Steering idler gaiter covered in silicone

Pass 4 Aug 2021 128,549 miles

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material VARIOUS COVERED IN GREASE (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive VARIOUS ON SUBFRAME (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 4 Aug 2021 128,549 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt ARM TO IDLER (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material VARIOUS COVERED IN GREASE (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive VARIOUS ON SUBFRAME (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Jun 2020 127,863 miles

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

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))

Pass 6 Jun 2019 127,401 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Jun 2018 125,933 miles
Pass 5 Jun 2017 124,786 miles

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

park brake 16% ,,, n/s low

Pass 6 May 2016 122,493 miles

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

engine covers and under trays fitted

Pass 7 Apr 2015 121,495 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Rear Lower Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 6 May 2014 117,786 miles
Fail 3 May 2014 117,774 miles

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

Oil leak

Valve stem slightly damaged (4.1.D.1e)

n/s/f tyre cracking on inner sidewall

Pass 22 Mar 2013 116,871 miles
Fail 22 Mar 2013 116,871 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Pass 7 Jul 2010
Fail 1 Jul 2010 115,759 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Headlamp main beam warning lamp not working

Pass 1 Jun 2009 115,464 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2008 112,939 miles
Pass 8 Mar 2007 109,781 miles
Pass 28 Jan 2006 105,898 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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R113 VDB is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 3,199cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81.8%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 R113 VDB, 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 R113 VDB?

You can check the full history of R113 VDB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R113 VDB registered?

R113 VDB is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R113 VDB safe to buy?

The MOT history for R113 VDB shows 22 tests with a 81.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R113 VDB 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 R113 VDB. 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.