Mercedes Unknown (1987)
1987 Mercedes Unknown
CarHunch analysed 14,073 real MOT records for the 1987 Mercedes Unknown. This breakdown of actual test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — isn't published anywhere else.
# 1987 Mercedes Unknown
A 10% first-time pass rate on 14,073 vehicles is catastrophically below the UK average of 80%—these cars are failing MOT at roughly eight times the national rate, making this one of the most problematic cohorts on record. The good news is that dangerous defects are absent (0%), so failures are annoying rather than safety-critical, though both diesel and petrol variants perform identically poorly.
These 1987 Mercedeses are averaging 147,000 miles, which is reasonable for their age, yet the zero average failures and advisories per vehicle suggests a data quality issue—either the cohort is so small or fragmented that patterns aren't visible, or there's missing inspection detail. If you're genuinely considering a 37-year-old Mercedes, treat the 10% pass rate as a red flag for aging systems and decay rather than a specific mechanical pattern, and budget for a pre-purchase inspection by a Mercedes specialist.
What to check before buying a 1987 Mercedes Unknown
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 Unknown
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel (95%) | 13,384 | 0.1% | 0 |
| Petrol (5%) | 689 | 0.2% | 0 |
Mileage Distribution
Most 1987 Mercedes Unknown vehicles sit in the blue band. If the car you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.
Half of all 1987 Mercedes Unknown vehicles fall between 64,004 and 189,150 miles.
MOT History Averages
Most Common MOT Issues — 1987 Mercedes Unknown
Based on actual MOT test records for this model. Percentage shows how often each item appears across all vehicles in this cohort.
-
22.5%
Oil leak, but not excessive
-
12.5%
Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened
-
12.5%
Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened
-
12.5%
Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2
-
12.5%
Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases
-
10%
Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material
-
10%
Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt Nearside and Offside
-
10%
Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing
Data covers a 3-year window centred on 1987. Counts include advisories and failures.
Found a specific Mercedes Unknown?
Enter the reg to see its individual MOT history, AI Hunches, and how it compares to this cohort.