Mercedes-Benz C 320: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz C 320 fails its first MOT more often than the average UK car, by 7.7 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,192 individual Mercedes-Benz C 320 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

First-time pass rate69%
UK national average76.7%
Difference-7.7 points
Tests analysed1,192
Average mileage at test114,802 miles
Average year of manufacture2006
Reliability rank1,785 of 2,005 models

What this means if you are buying one

A 69% first-time pass rate means roughly 31 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz C 320s presented for MOT fail on the first attempt. That is worse than average, so budget for remedial work and treat a fresh 12-month MOT as a genuine selling point rather than a given. The average Mercedes-Benz C 320 tested had covered 114,802 miles and was built around 2006.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. On a Mercedes-Benz C 320 bought as a repairable salvage, assume the mechanical side needs more than the visible accident damage, and pad your repair estimate accordingly.

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 C 320 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 what damaged Mercedes-Benz C 320s actually sold for at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz C 320

  1. A wheel with a loose or missing wheel nut, bolt or stud, 1.3% of tests (5.47x the national rate for this defect)
  2. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 4.3% of tests (5.23x the national rate for this defect)
  3. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.2% of tests (4.42x the national rate for this defect)
  4. A suspension joint dust cover missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt etc, 4.5% of tests (3.35x the national rate for this defect)
  5. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 12.3% of tests (3.34x the national rate for this defect)
  6. A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened, 4.6% of tests (2.8x the national rate for this defect)
  7. Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake, 1.6% of tests (2.05x the national rate for this defect)
  8. Parking brake efficiency below minimum requirement, 1.9% of tests (1.96x the national rate for this defect)
  9. Engine MIL illuminated indicating a malfunction, 1.7% of tests (1.85x the national rate for this defect)
  10. The aim of a headlamp is not within limits laid down in the requirements, 2.9% of tests (1.67x the national rate for this defect)

From 2,038 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz C 320 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 3.78% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz C 320 defects as "dangerous", meaning the tester judged the car unsafe to drive away, against 4.97% nationally.

Mercedes-Benz C 320 by fuel type

Diesel and petrol versions of the same car fail on different things, so the fuel type moves the number:

Other Mercedes-Benz models

Models with a similar pass rate

If this car is a salvage or write-off

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Mercedes-Benz C 320 MOT pass rate badge: 69%

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All 2,005 models ranked by MOT pass rate