Mercedes-Benz 500: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz 500 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 7.8 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 942 individual Mercedes-Benz 500 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 84.5% first-time pass rate means roughly 16 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz 500s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is better than average, so a well-kept example is a reasonably safe used buy. The average Mercedes-Benz 500 tested had covered 100,469 miles and was built around 1989.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mercedes-Benz 500 sits 7.8 points above the national average, ranked 1,276 of 2,005 models. On one bought as repairable salvage, the mechanical side is less likely to spring surprises, so your repair estimate should hold up reasonably well.

Before you bid: run the lot through the analyzer, check the car's own record, check the mileage, decode the VIN, and if it carries a marker use the write-off value calculator. Or compare it against another model.

Looking at a specific Mercedes-Benz 500 rather than the model in general? The free check covers its MOT and mileage history, and the full HPI report confirms the insurance write-off category, outstanding finance and whether it is recorded stolen, from licensed data for 5 credits. Already own one that has been damaged? Work out whether fixing it beats selling it with the repair or scrap calculator, and see recorded closing bids for damaged Mercedes-Benz 500s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz 500

1. Emissions levels exceed default limits, 1.8% of tests (5.1x the national rate for this defect)
2. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 3.1% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)
3. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.6% of tests (1.54x the national rate for this defect)
4. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.8% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)
5. Windscreen washers not working or not providing sufficient fluid to clear the windscreen, 1.7% of tests
6. A lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.5% of tests
7. An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 1.3% of tests (2.9x the national rate for this defect)
8. A tyre seriously damaged, 1.1% of tests
9. A headlamp or light source missing, inoperative or more than ½ not functioning in the case of LED, 1.1% of tests
10. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 1.1% of tests

From 942 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz 500 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 2.2% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz 500 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 5.11% nationally.

Most common MOT advisories on a Mercedes-Benz 500

An advisory doesn't fail the car - the tester flags it as worth watching, but it still passes. A different list from the failures above: what testers are noting on a Mercedes-Benz 500 before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 3.2% of tests (4.91x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 2.2% of tests (3.98x the national rate for this advisory)
3. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 13.6% of tests (2.44x the national rate for this advisory)
4. The strength or continuity of the load bearing structure within 30cm of any sub-frame, spring or suspension component mounting (a 'prescribed area') is significantly reduced or inadequately repaired, 3.5% of tests (2.31x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 10.3% of tests (2.18x the national rate for this advisory)
6. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 4.1% of tests (2.07x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded, 2.4% of tests (1.92x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is seriously reduced, 2.2% of tests (1.79x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 10.2% of tests (1.65x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.7% of tests (1.31x the national rate for this advisory)

From 942 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz 500 tests, 2024.

Other Mercedes-Benz models

• Mercedes-Benz C - 77.4%
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class - 78.7%
• Mercedes-Benz E - 79.2%
• Mercedes-Benz A - 89.5%
• Mercedes-Benz Vito - 72.7%
• Mercedes-Benz Gla - 85.2%
• Mercedes-Benz Glc - 87.8%
• Mercedes-Benz B-Class - 74.7%

Models with a similar pass rate

• Renault Trafic Sl28 Sport Energy Dci - 84.5%
• Land Rover Discovery Sport Se D Auto - 84.5%
• Mercedes-Benz G-Class - 84.5%
• Volkswagen Up - 84.4%
• BMW X6 - 84.4%
• BMW 135 - 84.4%

If this car is a salvage or write-off

• What does Cat N mean? Category N explained
• What does Cat S mean? Category S explained
• Cat S vs Cat N: the real differences
• Do you need an HPI check on a car you know is a write-off?

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate