Car statistics by year
1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class cars first registered in 1998: 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 1998, so like is set against like.
- MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 70.3% All 1998 cars 67.1%
- Typical mileage at the MOT 85,300 miles; all 1998 cars 94,000
- Left at the end of 2025 1,382 55.4% of the 2,493 at the end of 2014
- Tests finding a dangerous defect 5.5% All 1998 cars 6.6%
- Tests with an advisory 57.4% All 1998 cars 59.6%
- MOT tests in 2025 885 normal tests in Great Britain
How do 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Classes do at their MOT?
In 2025, at about 27 years old, 70.3% of 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class MOT tests were passed first time, against 67.1% for all cars first registered in 1998. 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Classes did better than average for their age, by 3.2 points. A year earlier the same cars passed 66.1% of the time (all 1998 cars 65.9%).
MOT pass rate by year of first registration: Mercedes-Benz SLK-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 SLK-Class bar with the all-cars bar beside it.
| First registered | Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| ’97 | 68.9% | 68.5% |
| ’98 | 70.3% | 67.1% |
| ’99 | 70.9% | 65.4% |
| ’00 | 69.5% | 63.1% |
| ’01 | 70.8% | 61.5% |
| ’02 | 71.1% | 59.7% |
| ’03 | 67.9% | 58.9% |
| ’04 | 66.2% | 57.9% |
| ’05 | 67.9% | 57.7% |
| ’06 | 67.0% | 56.9% |
| ’07 | 67.3% | 57.3% |
| ’08 | 67.9% | 57.0% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT failures on the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
Stop lamp: not working was the most common single reason a 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class failed, on 23.2% of about 300 failed tests. By area of the car, lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment failed most often (64.3% of failed tests; all 1998 cars 41.0%). 5.5% of tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 6.6% for all cars first registered in 1998. A failed test can have several defects, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Most common reasons for failure
Share of failed tests with each defect. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.
| Defect | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Stop lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 23.2% |
| Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 10.6% |
| Position lamp: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 9.9% |
| Coil spring: fractured or broken Suspension | 8.7% |
| Anti-lock braking system: warning lamp indicates an ABS fault Brakes | 7.2% |
| Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively Visibility | 6.8% |
| All direction indicators: not working Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 6.5% |
| Lamp: inoperative Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 5.7% |
| Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded Brakes | 5.7% |
| Washers: not working Visibility | 5.7% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Failure categories: Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class vs all 1998 cars
The marker shows the share for all cars first registered the same year.
| Category | Share of failed tests |
|---|---|
| Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment | 64.3% |
| Brakes | 25.9% |
| Suspension | 22.1% |
| Visibility | 17.5% |
| Tyres | 13.3% |
| Body, chassis, structure | 12.5% |
| Noise, emissions and leaks | 11.8% |
| Seat belts and supplementary restraint systems | 6.5% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
Most common MOT advisories on the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class
An advisory is something the tester noticed that did not fail the test but may need work soon. 57.4% of 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class tests had at least one (all 1998 cars 59.6%). 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 | 16.2% |
| Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened Suspension | 11.8% |
| Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge Tyres | 11.5% |
| Tyres: slightly damaged or cracking or perishing Tyres | 11.0% |
| Transmission oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 6.7% |
| Wheel bearings: slight play Suspension | 5.8% |
| Coil spring: corroded Suspension | 5.5% |
| Brake pads: wearing thin Brakes | 5.2% |
| Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened Brakes | 4.9% |
| Engine oil leak, but not excessive Noise, emissions and leaks | 4.6% |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
What mileage is normal for a 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class?
Half of the 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Classes tested in 2025 had covered fewer than 85,300 miles. A quarter had covered fewer than 61,000 and a quarter more than 107,400. For all cars first registered in 1998, the middle figure was 94,000 miles, so 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Classes have been driven 9.3% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class | 40,700 | 61,000 | 85,300 | 107,400 | 131,100 | 846 |
| All 1998 cars | 43,400 | 65,400 | 94,000 | 128,000 | 164,300 | 37,727 |
Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis 2025 Updated
How many 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Classes are left?
At the end of 2014, 2,493 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Classes were on the DVLA record in the United Kingdom (these counts start in 2014). By the end of 2025, 1,382 were: 586 licensed and 796 declared off the road (SORN). That is 55.4% still on the record, against 28.8% for all cars first registered in 1998.
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 | 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class | All 1998 cars |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 100.0% | 100.0% |
| 2015 | 98.2% | 82.4% |
| 2016 | 96.7% | 68.7% |
| 2017 | 93.9% | 57.2% |
| 2018 | 90.8% | 48.9% |
| 2019 | 85.8% | 43.3% |
| 2020 | 81.6% | 39.7% |
| 2021 | 75.8% | 36.3% |
| 2022 | 70.3% | 34.2% |
| 2023 | 65.0% | 32.3% |
| 2024 | 58.8% | 30.1% |
| 2025 | 55.4% | 28.8% |
Source:DfT / DVLA End of 2025 Updated
Recalls that may affect cars built around 1998
None of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class’s 25 recalls in DVSA’s records has build dates that include 1998. 1 has no build dates, so could apply to any year.
The 1998 on this page is the year of first registration, not the year the car was built. A car first registered early in 1998 may have been built in 1997, and recalls apply to particular build dates and VINs, so check the recalls either side too.
Every Mercedes-Benz SLK-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 SLK-Class
20 years of the Mercedes-Benz SLK-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 2011 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (75.2% passed first time) and the 1997 cars worst (68.9%).
| Year | Registered | Left | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | – | 945 | 68.9% |
| 1998 | – | 1,382 | 70.3% |
| 1999 | – | 1,609 | 70.9% |
| 2000 | – | 2,100 | 69.5% |
| 2001 | – | 2,596 | 70.8% |
| 2002 | – | 2,134 | 71.1% |
| 2003 | – | 1,925 | 67.9% |
| 2004 | – | 3,097 | 66.2% |
| 2005 | – | 4,835 | 67.9% |
| 2006 | – | 3,728 | 67.0% |
| 2007 | – | 3,485 | 67.3% |
| 2008 | – | 3,195 | 67.9% |
| 2009 | – | 2,477 | 69.3% |
| 2010 | – | 2,054 | 70.6% |
| 2011 | – | 2,539 | 75.2% |
| 2012 | – | 5,546 | 73.7% |
| 2013 | – | 4,572 | 74.3% |
| 2014 | 5,287 | 4,827 | 76.4% |
| 2015 | 5,009 | 4,787 | 80.0% |
| 2016 | 1,260 | 1,237 | 82.3% |
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 | 885 MOT tests of 1998 Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class cars | 15 September 2026 |
| Cars on the record | Vehicle licensing statistics Department for Transport | End of 2025 | 1,382 cars still on the record (licensed or SORN) | 15 September 2026 |
- MOT figures cover normal tests in Great Britain in 2025 of Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class cars first registered in 1998; retests are excluded. “All cars” means every car we match to a model, first registered in 1998.
- 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.