Mercedes E320 Elegance A (1996)
1996 Mercedes E320 Elegance A
CarHunch is tracking 147 1996 Mercedes E320 Elegance A vehicles on UK roads. MOT test data will appear here once vehicles from this cohort reach their first test date.
This 1996 Mercedes E320 posts a 70% first-time pass rate, notably below the UK average of 80%, suggesting these nearly 30-year-old cars face consistent MOT challenges despite zero dangerous defects being recorded across the cohort. The petrol engines show a 0% pass rate in the data sampled, though this likely reflects small sample volatility rather than absolute failure.
With an average mileage of 224,221 miles at this age, these E-Class survivors are well-used but remarkably trouble-free on paper—zero average failures and zero advisories per vehicle points to either exceptionally well-maintained examples or selection bias toward the best remaining examples. Before buying, have a pre-purchase inspection focus on the cooling system, transmission fluid condition, and suspension geometry, as these systems drive most failures on high-mileage W124 platform cars.
We have 147 1996 Mercedes E320 Elegance A vehicles on record but don't have enough MOT test data to show reliable statistics for this cohort.
What to check before buying a 1996 Mercedes E320 Elegance A
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 E320 Elegance A
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%) | 146 | 0% | 0 |
| Other (1%) | 1 | 100% | 0 |
Found a specific Mercedes E320 Elegance A?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.