Car statistics by year
1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
Mercedes-Benz SL-Class cars first registered in 1996: how they did at their 2025 MOT, what failed them, how far they have been driven and how many are still on the road. Compared with every car first registered in 1996, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 78.9% All 1996 cars 70.0%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 91,400 miles; all 1996 cars 94,900
- Left at the end of 2025 773 89.4% of the 865 at the end of 2014
- Tests with an advisory 48.3% All 1996 cars 56.0%
- MOT tests in 2025 588 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 29 years old, 78.9% of 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class MOT tests were passed first time, against 70.0% for all cars first registered in 1996. 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes did better than average for their age, by 8.9 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 83.0% of the time (all 1996 cars 69.0%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Mercedes-Benz SL-Class vs all cars
Each pair of bars is one year of first registration, tested in 2025. Older cars pass less often, so compare each Mercedes-Benz SL-Class bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Mercedes-Benz SL-Class | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’95 | 79.8% | 71.5% |
| ’96 | 78.9% | 70.0% |
| ’97 | 80.8% | 68.5% |
| ’98 | 78.8% | 67.1% |
| ’99 | 81.6% | 65.4% |
| ’02 | 80.4% | 59.7% |
| ’03 | 81.3% | 58.9% |
| ’04 | 82.9% | 57.9% |
| ’05 | 81.9% | 57.7% |
| ’06 | 82.1% | 56.9% |
| ’07 | 81.3% | 57.3% |
| ’08 | 84.1% | 57.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 48.3% of 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class tests had at least one (all 1996 cars 56.0%). These are the things to check on one you are thinking of buying.
Most common advisories
| Advisory | Share of tests |
|---|---|
| Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material Brakes | 16.8% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 13.8% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 8.8% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 8.3% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 6.1% |
| Wheel bearings: slight play Suspension | 5.1% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 4.6% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 4.1% |
| Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 3.4% |
| Flexible brake hoses: slight corrosion to ferrule Brakes | 2.9% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class?
Half of the 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 91,400 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 68,700 and a quarter more than 114,200. For all cars first registered in 1996, the middle figure was 94,900 miles, so 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes have been driven 3.7% less far than average.
Mileage at the 2025 MOT
Odometer readings at each car’s latest MOT of the year. The bar covers the middle half of cars; the line the middle 80%.
| 10% | 25% | Median | 75% | 90% | Cars | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class | 49,000 | 68,700 | 91,400 | 114,200 | 143,000 | 560 |
| All 1996 cars | 41,600 | 64,400 | 94,900 | 130,400 | 168,500 | 17,519 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes are left?
At the end of 2014, 865 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Classes were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 773 were: 365 licensed and 408 declared off the road (SORN). That is 89.4% still on the record, against 38.1% for all cars first registered in 1996.
Share still on the record since 2014
Cars licensed or SORN at each year end, as a share of the number at the end of 2014. Cars scrapped or exported leave the record. Late registrations and imports can push the share above 100%.
| Year end | 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class | All 1996 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | 84.0% |
| 2016 | 97.6% | 72.2% |
| 2017 | 97.1% | 62.7% |
| 2018 | 97.1% | 55.9% |
| 2019 | 97.1% | 51.2% |
| 2020 | 94.8% | 48.1% |
| 2021 | 93.9% | 45.2% |
| 2022 | 93.5% | 43.3% |
| 2023 | 92.0% | 41.7% |
| 2024 | 89.1% | 39.3% |
| 2025 | 89.4% | 38.1% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 1996
1 of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class’s 30 recalls in DVSA’s records covers cars built during 1996. 4 have no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 1996 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 1996 may have been built in 1995, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
| Launched | Concern | Built | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 May 2001 | Unintentional deployment of air bag | 1 Sept 1995 to 31 Dec 1996 | 7,041 (all models) |
Every Mercedes-Benz SL-Class recall · Check a specific car on GOV.UK · How we match recalls
Recall details come from manufacturers through DVSA. “Vehicles” is the number the manufacturer reported; “all models” means the figure covers everything in the recall. A recall listed here may not apply to a particular car: only the manufacturer or GOV.UK can say for its VIN.
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated
Other years of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class
17 years of the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2008 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (84.1% passed first time) and the 1995 cars worst (79.8%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | – | 731 | 79.8% |
| 1996 | – | 773 | 78.9% |
| 1997 | – | 831 | 80.8% |
| 1998 | – | 744 | 78.8% |
| 1999 | – | 605 | 81.6% |
| 2002 | – | 1,115 | 80.4% |
| 2003 | – | 2,377 | 81.3% |
| 2004 | – | 1,989 | 82.9% |
| 2005 | – | 1,197 | 81.9% |
| 2006 | – | 852 | 82.1% |
| 2007 | – | 810 | 81.3% |
| 2008 | – | 799 | 84.1% |
| 2013 | – | 1,125 | 81.0% |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 1,044 | 85.5% |
| 2015 | 780 | 765 | 86.7% |
| 2016 | 709 | 674 | 89.2% |
| 2017 | 526 | 541 | 92.5% |
Registered: cars on the DVLA record at the end of the year they were first registered (these counts start in 2014, so older years show a dash). Left: licensed or declared SORN at the end of 2025. Both cover the United Kingdom. Pass rate: first-time passes at normal MOT tests in Great Britain in 2025; all cars: every car first registered the same year.
Data sources and methodology
| Figures | Source | Period | Records | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MOT results and mileage | Anonymised MOT tests and results Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency Derived statistics UK Motoring | 2025 | 588 MOT tests of 1996 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 773 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Mercedes-Benz SL-Class cars first registered in 1996; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 1996.
- Year of first registration is DVSA’s first-use date: when the car was first registered, in the UK or abroad.
- Defects and advisories are DVSA’s descriptions made readable. Where on the car a defect was found (side, front or rear) is ignored, so the same fault on any wheel counts once per test.
- Mileage is the odometer reading at each car’s latest normal MOT of the year, as recorded by the tester. A few readings are in kilometres or mistyped; percentiles are not thrown by a handful of outliers.
- Cars on the record come from DfT table VEH0124 and cover the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland; MOT figures cover Great Britain only.
- DVSA records the model name typed in at the test. We match those names to DVLA’s generic models, so a handful of tests may be counted under a close relative.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.