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XNJ 696

1998 Mercedes-benz Sl

Red Petrol 3199cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Aug 2026
Tests24 (16 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

113,635 mi
Last recorded113,635 miles
Recorded on15 Aug 2025
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

RegistrationXNJ 696
MakeMercedes-benz
ModelSl
Year1998
ColourRed
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

16 pass 8 fail
Pass 15 Aug 2025 113,635 miles
Fail 28 Jul 2025 113,620 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Supplementary restraint system warning lamp does not illuminate (7.1.6 (a))

Pass 30 Jul 2024 112,744 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2023 109,758 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 3 May 2022 108,898 miles

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

Nearside Front Steering arm has slight play

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))

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded Inner arch (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 27 Apr 2022 108,898 miles

Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.5 (b) (i))

Fuel system component leaking Filter/pipe (6.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Front Steering arm has slight play

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))

Offside Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded Inner arch (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Apr 2021 107,757 miles

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

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

Fail 16 Apr 2021 107,757 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Side repeater incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.5 (b) (i))

Offside Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

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

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

Pass 9 May 2019 105,708 miles

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

Fail 25 Apr 2019 105,707 miles

Bonnet cannot be secured in the closed position (3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 2 May 2017 103,721 miles

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

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

Fail 11 Apr 2017 103,719 miles

Offside Front Inner Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

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

Oil leak engine ()

Pass 14 Apr 2016 101,676 miles
Fail 14 Apr 2016 101,676 miles

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Pass 29 Sep 2014 90,780 miles

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

Oil leak

Pass 15 Apr 2013 85,137 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)

Pass 4 May 2011 82,768 miles
Fail 4 May 2011 82,768 miles

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

Pass 7 Dec 2009 80,871 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2008 78,771 miles

osf indicator colour fading

slight play in front anti roll bar bushs

Pass 13 Sep 2007 67,511 miles

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

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

Pass 25 Jun 2007 65,765 miles
Fail 20 Jun 2007 65,765 miles

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

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

front and rear discs look worn

osf indicator fading in colour

osr disc inner face looks poor

rear brake flexys cracking

slight front brake imbalance

some brake pipes corroding

srs warning light on

Pass 20 Jun 2006 59,225 miles

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

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

Offside Front 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 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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XNJ 696 is a 1998 Mercedes-benz Sl in Red with a 3,199cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 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 XNJ 696, 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 XNJ 696?

You can check the full history of XNJ 696 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was XNJ 696 registered?

XNJ 696 is a 1998 Mercedes-benz Sl, first registered on 1 January 1998.

Is XNJ 696 safe to buy?

The MOT history for XNJ 696 shows 24 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does XNJ 696 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 XNJ 696. 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.