Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

How many 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk vehicles have had dangerous defects recorded?

30% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded. Search the registration on CarHunch — the full MOT history will show exactly what was flagged and whether it was resolved.

Is the 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk reliable?

Based on MOT data from 1,270 vehicles, the 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk has a first-time MOT pass rate of 89.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk are: Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (45% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (40.9% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (17.9% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Mercedes Benz Slk (2016)

1,270 real MOT outcomes analysed • 89.5% first-time pass rate

2016 Mercedes Benz Slk

CarHunch analysed 1,270 real MOT records for the 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2016 Mercedes-Benz SLK passes its MOT at 89.5%, well above the UK average of 80%, but the dangerous defect rate sits at a concerning 30.2%—notably higher than typical—so structural and safety issues do crop up on these cars. Petrol models perform better (92.3% pass rate) than diesel variants (88.3%), suggesting the diesel engines carry slightly higher risk.

These cars average just 33,200 miles at test, indicating relatively light use for eight-year-old vehicles, yet they still average 0.93 failures and 5.9 advisories each—a sign that age-related wear outpaces mileage in importance here. Before buying, get a pre-purchase inspection focused on suspension and electrical systems, as the high advisory count suggests these areas are where most wear appears.

The 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk has a decent first-time pass rate (89.5%), but a higher-than-average share of vehicles have had serious defects recorded — the individual vehicle's history matters a lot here.

⚠️ Over 1 in 5 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

89.5%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

30.2%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.93

Over 7.8 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

33k

Middle half: 23k–44k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 89.5% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 5.9 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 1,270 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Watch for defects — worth knowing

What tends to go wrong

Across 1,270 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 45%

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge · Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Suspension & steering 13.1%

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play · Nearside Front Wheel bearing has slight play

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Brake wear 10.2%

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin · Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Other issues 7.7%

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view

Lighting 7.2%

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted

Usually cheap to fix. Worth confirming all lights work before collecting.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2016.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 1,270 Mercedes Benz Slk cars.

Before you buy a 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk

Based on MOT data from 1,270 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 30.2% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Diesel (70%)	891	88.3%	1.03
Petrol (30%)	379	92.3%	0.69

Colour Breakdown

Based on 79,588 Mercedes Benz Slk vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Silver 41.3%

32,850

Black 25%

19,862

Blue 11.5%

9,149

White 8.4%

6,655

Red 7.6%

6,078

Grey 4.3%

3,444

Green 1%

796

Yellow 0.6%

510

Orange 0.1%

Beige 0.1%

Purple 0.1%

Gold 0.1%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

33,231

typical

23,360

low mileage

43,712

high mileage

Half of all 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk vehicles fall between 23,360 and 43,712 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 23,360 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 23,360–43,712 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2016 Mercedes Benz Slks sit.

⚠ Over 59,011 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2016 Mercedes Benz Slk — Still on the Road

Almost all 2016 Mercedes Benz Slks are still on the road.

Strong survival — 1,192 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 99% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2018–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

7.8

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.93

Avg failures per vehicle

5.9

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Mercedes Benz Slk: All Slk years → Which year to buy? →

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Compare with another model

See how the 2016 Mercedes Benz Slk stacks up against a rival.

Watch for defects — worth knowing