2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK 3.5L Petrol · L222 AER

The vehicle currently holds a valid MOT certificate from April 2026 at 67,079 miles, confirming it meets minimum roadworthiness standards at this time. However, the maintenance trend reveals a recurring mechanical issue rather than a clean history. The offside front lower anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover was flagged as severely deteriorated across three consecutive tests in April 2023, April 2024, and April 2025. Although the tester did not issue a fail for this item, the persistence suggests the underlying suspension component has been left to degrade without intervention. The most recent test also recorded damage to both the nearside rear tyre sidewall and the offside front tyre surface, indicating consumable tyres were not replaced proactively until the legal limit was reached. The recorded mileage of 67,079 miles over fourteen years averages roughly 4,791 miles per year, which is notably low for a vehicle of this age. The history shows clean MOT results from 2018 through 2021 with no defects, implying consistent basic upkeep during that period. However, the gap between 2015 and 2017 saw mileage jump from 21,678 to 38,718 miles, suggesting a phase of heavier usage or potentially an inaccurate odometer reading during that interval. The low overall mileage for a 2012 model often reflects lighter driving conditions, but it can also mask periods where the car was stored or driven negligently, as seen in the tyre ply exposure failure in 2021. A buyer should prioritise a physical inspection of the front suspension assembly, specifically the offside lower anti-roll bar linkage, given the three-year history of dust cover deterioration. The 2017 MOT failure recorded a buckled nearside front wheel, which warrants checking wheel alignment and structural integrity of the front arches for corrosion or impact damage. Tyre condition is also critical; the 2021 failure due to exposed ply or cords on the nearside front tyre indicates previous owners may have skipped tyre replacements until catastrophic failure risk arose. Finally, verify the windscreen damage recorded in 2017 has been repaired or replaced, as damage within zone A compromises structural safety in the event of a collision.