Mercedes Benz A Class (1999)
1999 Mercedes Benz A Class
CarHunch analysed 14,046 real MOT records for the 1999 Mercedes Benz A Class. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
**A 1999 Mercedes-Benz A-Class passes its MOT first time in only 67% of tests, well below the UK average of 80%, and nearly a third of these cars have recorded dangerous defects during their testing history—a significant reliability and safety concern for any buyer.** Petrol and diesel variants perform similarly (67.2% and 66.0% pass rates respectively), so fuel choice won't materially improve your odds.
**At a median mileage of 73,570 miles for a 25-year-old car, these examples are reasonably well-used but not exceptional, yet they're racking up an average of 4.22 failures and 14.6 advisories per test, suggesting chronic wear issues rather than isolated problems.** Before purchasing, have a pre-buy inspection focus on suspension, braking, and steering components—the areas most commonly flagged on this model—and factor in ongoing repair costs as a realistic ownership expectation.
What to check before buying a 1999 Mercedes Benz A Class
Practical pre-purchase checks for this age and model.
- 📋 Check the full MOT history. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. Enter the reg below for a full AI analysis.
- 🔍 Inspect for corrosion in person. Brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that's expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.
- 🛞 Check tyres and brakes. The most common advisory items at this age. Budget for replacement if they're near the limit — factor this into your offer price.
- ⚠️ 30.8% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Enter the reg below — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.
- 📄 Run an HPI check. The MOT history won't show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status — an HPI check will.
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (84%) | 11,849 | 67.2% | 4.23 |
| Diesel (16%) | 2,192 | 66% | 4.23 |
| LPG (0%) | 4 | 67.1% | 3.5 |
| Other (0%) | 1 | 66.7% | 4 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1999 Mercedes Benz A Class vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 1999 Mercedes Benz A Class vehicles fall between 59,485 and 89,392 miles.
1999 Mercedes Benz A Class — Still on the Road
Numbers are declining — 309 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2022 (5% of peak).
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2022.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 1999 Mercedes Benz A Class
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
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66.4%
Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
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64.2%
Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded
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61.6%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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56%
Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated
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55.4%
Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated
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54.2%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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48.3%
Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components
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42.5%
Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1999. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Mercedes Benz A Class?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.