Should I check the MOT history before buying a 1989 Mercedes 300 Te 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 1989 Mercedes 300 Te 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 1989 Mercedes 300 Te 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 1989 Mercedes 300 Te 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 Te Auto (1989)

290 real MOT outcomes analysed • 0.6% first-time pass rate

1989 Mercedes 300 Te Auto

CarHunch analysed 290 real MOT records for the 1989 Mercedes 300 Te Auto. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.

Only 60% of these 1989 Mercedes 300 TE automatics pass MOT on the first attempt, well below the UK average of 80%, making this an ageing fleet that demands careful pre-purchase inspection. The good news is that dangerous defects are entirely absent from this cohort, and when failures do occur they're rare (just 0.02 per vehicle on average), suggesting mechanical soundness rather than systemic rot.

With an average mileage of 206,921 miles, these cars are high-mileage survivors—exactly what you'd expect of a desirable W124 estate that owners keep running. Before you buy, get a pre-purchase inspection focused on the automatic transmission, suspension wear, and rust (the usual weak points on 35-year-old Mercedeses), and factor in specialist servicing costs, because these aren't vehicles for a budget mechanic.

Below average reliability 79.4% below UK average

0.6%

pass MOT first time

UK average: ~80%

ever had a dangerous defect

recorded at any MOT

0.02

avg MOT failures per car

over 1 tests on record

What to check before buying a 1989 Mercedes 300 Te Auto

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.
📄 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 300 Te Auto

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 (99%)	287	0%	0
Other (1%)	3	55.6%	2

MOT History Averages

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.02

Avg failures per vehicle

Avg advisories per vehicle

Found a specific Mercedes 300 Te Auto?

Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.

Other model years — Mercedes 300 Te Auto:

1986 1987 1988