Mercedes Benz C (2002)
2002 Mercedes Benz C
CarHunch analysed 30,514 real MOT records for the 2002 Mercedes Benz C. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
The 2002 Mercedes-Benz C falls short of the UK average with a 74.6% first-time pass rate, and one in three of these cars have picked up a dangerous defect at some point—a genuine concern for buyers. Petrol and diesel variants perform almost identically (75.0% and 74.1% respectively), so fuel choice makes little difference to reliability here.
At a median mileage of 76,300 miles for a 22-year-old car, these are relatively low-mileage examples, yet they still rack up an average of 4.17 failures per test—suggesting age-related wear rather than hard use is the culprit. Before buying, get a full pre-purchase inspection focused on suspension, brakes, and cooling system components, as the high failure count and advisory rate (18.4 per vehicle) point to systems that deteriorate predictably on these ageing Mercs.
What to check before buying a 2002 Mercedes Benz C
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.
- ⚠️ 32.8% 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.
Before you buy a Mercedes Benz C
MOT history is one piece of the puzzle. These checks can reveal what CarHunch can't.
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Pass Rate by Fuel Type
| Fuel type | Vehicles | Pass rate | Avg failures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petrol (58%) | 17,838 | 75% | 4.2 |
| Diesel (41%) | 12,651 | 74.1% | 4.13 |
| LPG (0%) | 23 | 76.3% | 4.13 |
| Gas Bi-Fuel (0%) | 1 | 80% | 3 |
| Other (0%) | 1 | 73.3% | 4 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 2002 Mercedes Benz C 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 2002 Mercedes Benz C vehicles fall between 60,060 and 94,367 miles.
2002 Mercedes Benz C — Still on the Road
Numbers are declining — 1,881 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025 (9% of peak).
Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 2002 Mercedes Benz C
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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89.9%
Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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87.9%
Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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57.4%
Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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57.3%
Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components
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50%
Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit
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35.8%
Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay
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32.6%
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm
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31.2%
Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2002. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Mercedes Benz C?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.