Mercedes 500 Sel Auto (1988)
1988 Mercedes 500 Sel Auto
CarHunch has 145 1988 Mercedes 500 Sel Auto vehicles on record, but none have light-vehicle MOT history in our data source.
No MOT data available for this vehicle type
The 1988 Mercedes 500 Sel 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.
Got a specific Mercedes 500 Sel 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 1988 Mercedes 500 SEL Auto does not appear in the standard DVLA light-vehicle MOT database, so we cannot provide pass rates, defect frequencies, or reliability comparisons against the UK average. This is likely because very few examples of this 36-year-old luxury saloon remain in active use and subject to routine MOT testing; most have either left the UK or been retired from the road.
What matters here is that any survivor from 1988 is a classic or specialist vehicle, and you should approach it as such. Before buying, have it inspected by a Mercedes specialist who understands the W126 platform, and verify its service history, rust condition, and fuel system integrity—these older high-specification cars can be expensive to repair when they do fail. The absence of MOT data reflects rarity, not unreliability, but it also means you cannot lean on statistics to gauge condition; your due diligence as a buyer is everything.
We have 145 1988 Mercedes 500 Sel 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
Before you buy a 1988 Mercedes 500 Sel Auto
Based on MOT data from 145 vehicles — here's what to check.
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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. -
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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
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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
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