MERCEDES-BENZ C1996 · 3.6L Petrol

The 1996 Mercedes-Benz C presents a stable roadworthiness trend, with the most recent test on 26 August 2025 at 102,591 miles returning a pass and no defects recorded. Prior tests on 4 September 2024 at 93,603 miles and 8 August 2023 at 57,168 miles also passed cleanly with no advisories. The maintenance record shows no worsening faults, recurring mechanical issues, or outstanding structural concerns across the three available entries. The mileage pattern reveals an unusual accumulation relative to the vehicle's thirty-year age. Between the August 2023 test at 57,168 miles and the September 2024 test at 93,603 miles, the car covered 36,435 miles in roughly thirteen months, a sharp rise from its long-term average of around 3,420 miles per year. From September 2024 to August 2025, the recorded increase was only 8,988 miles, suggesting the prior year's high use was not sustained. Such a jump after long low-mileage dormancy often means the car stood unused for extended periods before a single owner racked up distance, then settled back to lighter running. With no advisories or failures on file, the MOT history offers no direct warning on suspension bushes, brake discs, coil springs, or corrosion. A clean record at this age should not be read as proof of sound condition. The buyer must physically inspect for structural rust on subframes and sills, check for perished rubber components after years of potential standing, and verify brake caliper operation given the low annual use. The sparse three-entry record limits insight into earlier care, but the absence of flagged defects across the recent tests implies basic statutory upkeep was met. Given the age and the 2023 to 2024 mileage surge, a pre-purchase inspection of drivetrain seals and suspension wear is warranted despite the clean MOT passes.