Mercedes-Benz Cl 500: MOT pass rate and reliability data

The Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 passes its MOT first time more often than the average UK car, by 2.9 percentage points. These figures come from the DVSA's full year of anonymised MOT results, covering 1,742 individual Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 tests. Nothing here is an estimate or a survey.

The numbers

What this means if you are buying one

A 79.6% first-time pass rate means roughly 20 in every 100 Mercedes-Benz Cl 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 Cl 500 tested had covered 97,050 miles and was built around 2005.

What this means at salvage auction

Pass rate is a proxy for what a car costs to keep on the road. The Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 sits 2.9 points above the national average, ranked 1,456 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 Cl 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 Cl 500s at UK salvage auction.

Most common MOT failures on a Mercedes-Benz Cl 500

1. Warning device shows system malfunction, 1.8% of tests (4.31x the national rate for this defect)
2. A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning, 2.3% of tests (3.51x the national rate for this defect)
3. An SRS malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) indicates a system malfunction, 1.4% of tests (3.46x the national rate for this defect)
4. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 2% of tests (2.12x the national rate for this defect)
5. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 2.2% of tests (2.04x the national rate for this defect)
6. 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, 1.3% of tests (1.4x the national rate for this defect)
7. A tyre cords visible or damaged, 2% of tests (1.17x the national rate for this defect)
8. A suspension pin, bush or joint excessively worn, 4.5% of tests
9. A tyre seriously damaged, 2.5% of tests
10. Tyre tread depth not in accordance with the requirements, 2.1% of tests

From 1,739 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 tests, 2024. DVSA testers marked 4.1% of these flagged Mercedes-Benz Cl 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 Cl 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 Cl 500 before it actually fails on it.

1. A wheel bearing with excessive play, 6.2% of tests (9.48x the national rate for this advisory)
2. A flexible brake hose excessively damaged, deteriorated, chafed, twisted or stretched, 4.1% of tests (7.28x the national rate for this advisory)
3. A shock absorber bush excessively worn, 3% of tests (6.39x the national rate for this advisory)
4. Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded, 18.9% of tests (3.05x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
5. 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, 3.7% of tests (2.42x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
6. A shock absorber damaged to the extent that it does not function or showing signs of severe leakage, 9.3% of tests (2.38x the national rate for this advisory), also fails
7. A steering ball joint with excessive wear or free play, 2.8% of tests (2.11x the national rate for this advisory)
8. Fluid leaking excessively and likely to harm the environment or to pose a safety risk to other road users, 8.2% of tests (1.47x the national rate for this advisory)
9. Exhaust system leaking or insecure, 3.8% of tests (1.33x the national rate for this advisory)
10. Brake disc or drum excessively weakened, insecure or fractured, 14.9% of tests (1.22x the national rate for this advisory)

From 1,739 DVSA-tracked Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 tests, 2024.

Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 pass rate by model year

Pass rates fall steadily as cars age, so the model year matters as much as the model. First-time pass rate for each Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 year:

• 2002 Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 - 76.5% first-time pass, 221 tests
• 2007 Mercedes-Benz Cl 500 - 83.9% first-time pass, 218 tests

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

• Dacia Duster - 79.6%
• Renault Trafic Sl28 B-Ness+ Energy Dci - 79.6%
• Vauxhall Vivaro 2700 Edition S/S - 79.6%
• Audi A1 - 79.5%
• SEAT Leon - 79.5%
• Volkswagen Sharan - 79.5%

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