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R123 ESV

1998 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 3199cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Sep 2027
Tests23 (20 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87%

Mileage

105,580 mi
Last recorded105,580 miles
Recorded on3 Sep 2026
Typical for 1998 Mercedes-benz Sl74,108 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR123 ESV
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1998
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

20 pass 3 fail
Pass 3 Sep 2026 105,580 miles

Central Front Lower Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Central Rear Upper Stop lamp(s) non-obligatory stop lamp not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively both (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Front Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Fail 3 Sep 2026 105,580 miles

Headlamp levelling device inoperative (4.1.5 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Central Front Lower Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Central Rear Upper Stop lamp(s) non-obligatory stop lamp not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Front Brake disc worn, but not excessively both (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Front Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

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

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

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

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

Rear Coil spring corroded both (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Pass 19 Sep 2025 101,174 miles
Pass 13 Sep 2024 96,570 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Sep 2023 92,088 miles

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

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

Pass 29 Sep 2022 86,004 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2021 78,443 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 28 Sep 2020 73,191 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2019 69,528 miles

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

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

Fail 7 Apr 2019 69,528 miles

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

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

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

Pass 26 Apr 2018 65,926 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Pass 29 Apr 2017 62,230 miles
Fail 6 Apr 2017 62,050 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Pass 16 Mar 2016 57,633 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2015 54,805 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2014 53,829 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Pass 3 Jun 2013 53,181 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

Pass 9 Jun 2012 52,160 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 14 Jul 2011 51,468 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 16 Jun 2010 50,148 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 30 Jun 2009 49,588 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2007 45,249 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2006 42,385 miles

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

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

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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R123 ESV is a 1998 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 3,199cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87%.

Across all 1998 Mercedes-benz Sl models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.5% with a typical mileage of 74,108 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 R123 ESV, 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 28 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 R123 ESV?

You can check the full history of R123 ESV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R123 ESV registered?

R123 ESV is a 1998 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R123 ESV safe to buy?

The MOT history for R123 ESV shows 23 tests with a 87% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R123 ESV 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 R123 ESV. 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.