MERCEDES-BENZ SL2005 · 3.7L Petrol

The 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL presents as roadworthy with a stable maintenance trend. The most recent test on 21 May 2025 at 89,374 miles passed with no defects recorded, and the three prior annual tests from April 2022 to April 2024 also passed cleanly. The only blemish is a failure on 26 April 2022 at 87,897 miles, reversed three days later on 29 April 2022 at 87,900 miles with no defects listed, indicating a likely administrative or retest anomaly rather than a mechanical fault. Recorded mileage sits at 89,374 against an age of roughly 21 years, an average of about 4,256 miles per year. The car covered only 251 miles between the April 2023 test at 88,452 miles and the April 2024 test at 89,123 miles, and just 251 miles again to the May 2025 reading. Such low annual use across the record implies long standing periods, though the clean pass history shows the previous keeper maintained statutory testing discipline despite minimal driving. A buyer should still commission an in-person inspection of suspension bushes, coil springs, and brake calipers, as low-mileage SL models often suffer from perished rubber and seized components through inactivity. Structural corrosion around chassis legs and subframe mounting points warrants close examination given the vehicle's 2005 manufacture date and likely outdoor storage during dormant spells. The absence of recorded advisories across four consecutive passes means no worsening wear pattern is evident in the official data. Treat the 2022 failure as inconsequential based on the immediate clean retest, but verify the soft-top hydraulics and SBC braking system independently, since these are age-related SL weaknesses not captured by standard MOT checks.