MERCEDES SLK2004 · 3.5L PETROL

The 2004 Mercedes SLK passed its most recent MOT on 4 August 2025 at 78,516 miles, but only after an initial failure the same day for seriously defective near and offside front headlamp lenses. The maintenance trend is worsening. In the prior three tests from July 2022 to August 2024 the car recorded passes with either no defects or only minor brake pipe corrosion, yet the August 2025 test exposed pitted front brake discs, slight play in the nearside front bottom arm ball joint, and failed lighting. That sudden cluster of faults suggests deferred upkeep surfaced once the vehicle changed hands or reached a wear threshold. Recorded mileage sits at 78,516 against 22 years of age, an average of roughly 3,569 miles per year. The car covered just 2,216 miles between the August 2023 test at 73,310 miles and the August 2024 test at 75,301 miles, then 3,215 miles to the August 2025 test. Low annual use implies long standing periods. The July 2022 test at 69,620 miles flagged corroded front brake pipes coated in grease, a classic sign the car sat unused and the previous owner masked rather than repaired the corrosion. A buyer should inspect the front brake discs in person. The tester noted pitting and scoring on both sides in August 2025; discs at this age with low mileage likely suffered from surface rust during storage rather than frictional wear. Check the nearside front lower suspension arm ball joint for play beyond the slight movement recorded, as rubber bushes on a 2004 chassis will have hardened. Verify the headlamp lenses were properly replaced after the August 2025 failure and not temporarily taped. The greased brake pipes from 2022 warrant stripping back to assess underlying corrosion on the metal lines and adjacent suspension mounts. Structural integrity around the front subframe should be checked for hidden rust given the earlier pipe issue and the car's age.