Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto?

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 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto?

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 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto?

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.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto?

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 300 E Auto (1987)

795 real MOT outcomes analysed

1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto

CarHunch has 795 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

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No MOT data available for this vehicle type

The 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto doesn't appear in DVLA light-vehicle MOT records — it may be exempt, registered as a different vehicle class, or an import not subject to UK MOT testing. We don't have reliability stats for this specific model, but you can browse other Mercedes vehicles below.

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No MOT data — worth knowing

Got a specific Mercedes 300 E Auto you're checking out?

The real detail is in the individual vehicle report — MOT history, AI Hunches, mileage timeline, and defect patterns for that specific reg.

The 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto isn't in the DVLA's light-vehicle MOT database, so we have no pass rates or defect statistics to report. This is likely because most surviving examples of this 37-year-old saloon have either been taken off the road, moved into classic car schemes with different testing requirements, or are so rare that they don't appear in meaningful numbers in the dataset. What matters for a prospective buyer is that you should commission a pre-purchase inspection from a Mercedes specialist rather than relying on MOT history—these cars are now classic vehicles, and their condition varies wildly depending on storage, maintenance, and whether they've been properly preserved. Expect to budget for specialist servicing and parts sourcing if you find one, as dealers have largely moved on and DIY support for 1980s Mercedes is limited compared to more recent models.

MOT statistics not available

We have 795 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.

There are a few reasons this can happen:

Heavy commercial vehicle — trucks, buses and coaches over 3.5 tonnes are tested under the DVSA annual HGV/PSV regime, which uses a separate database not included in our data source
Imported vehicles — vehicles registered abroad and recently brought to the UK may have no UK MOT history yet
MOT-exempt — vehicles manufactured before 1986 qualify under the 40-year rolling exemption; some specialist and agricultural vehicles are also exempt
Never used on public roads — some vehicles are registered but kept off-road and have never required an MOT

Check on the official DVSA service →

Before you buy a 1987 Mercedes 300 E Auto

Based on MOT data from 795 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 0% 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

Colour Breakdown

Based on 2,997 Mercedes 300 E Auto vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Blue 23.6%

707

Silver 21.5%

645

Grey 12.3%

368

Black 11.4%

341

Red 8.3%

250

Green 7%

209

Gold 5.9%

178

White 5.4%

163

Brown 2.8%

Cream 1%

Beige 0.6%

Bronze 0.2%

Other model years — Mercedes 300 E Auto: All 300 E Auto years → Which year to buy? →

1986 1988 1989

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