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R578 KFS

1997 Mercedes-benz Sl

Silver Petrol 2799cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Jul 2027
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

116,582 mi
Last recorded116,582 miles
Recorded on1 Jul 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

RegistrationR578 KFS
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine2,799cc

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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 1 Jul 2026 116,582 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Sub-frame pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened Front and rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 4 Jul 2025 116,216 miles

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

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

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Both os and ns (5.2.3 (e))

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened Front to rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 3 Jul 2025 116,213 miles

Anti-lock braking system wheel speed sensor missing (1.6 (c))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Inner Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Inner Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Both os and ns (5.2.3 (e))

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened Front to rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 16 Sep 2023 116,173 miles

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

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

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

Fuel Pipe/s corroded

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

Nearside Front Indicator Lense defective

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

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre

Offside Front Integral body structure is deformed but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Both Sides (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened Front & Rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 10 Aug 2023 115,965 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre

Offside Front Direction indicator lens defective which has no effect on emitted light (4.4.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Wheel Arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened Front and rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 17 Aug 2022 114,719 miles

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

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted Slightly kinked. (5.2.2 (c) (i))

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

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

Fail 17 Aug 2022 114,719 miles

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

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted Slightly kinked. (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 4 Aug 2021 112,796 miles

Fluid leak, but not excessive Oil....??? (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Both Discs rusty on inner. (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Nearside Front Inner Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security Inner Wing getting weak. (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases Back box deteriorating. (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 29 Jul 2020 112,538 miles

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

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases Exhaust back box deteriorating !! (6.1.2 (a))

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge slight wear on inner. (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 25 Jun 2019 107,409 miles

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

Offside Front wing slightly insecure

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both sides at rear (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

oil leak

Pass 26 Apr 2018 101,614 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2017 99,123 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded all brake pipes show slight corrosion (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 22 Mar 2016 95,750 miles

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

Offside Front Outer Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

exhaust centre silencer corroded

rear diff oil seal leaking

Pass 23 Mar 2015 89,924 miles
Fail 18 Dec 2013 87,661 miles

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

Pass 18 Dec 2013 87,661 miles
Pass 4 Jan 2013 84,008 miles
Pass 16 Apr 2012 78,539 miles

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

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

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

Pass 3 May 2011 72,492 miles

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

Pass 19 Apr 2010 66,213 miles

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

Pass 1 May 2009 56,475 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2008 52,678 miles
Pass 5 May 2007 46,921 miles
Fail 3 Apr 2007 46,450 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Nearside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

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

Pass 31 Oct 2006 46,192 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2005 43,746 miles

front brake pads worn to limit

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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R578 KFS is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl in Silver with a 2,799cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 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 R578 KFS, 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 R578 KFS?

You can check the full history of R578 KFS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R578 KFS registered?

R578 KFS is a 1997 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R578 KFS safe to buy?

The MOT history for R578 KFS shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R578 KFS 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 R578 KFS. 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.