2005 Mercedes SL 5.0L Petrol · LB54 HXY

The most recent MOT, dated 9 November 2023 at 109,371 miles, shows a pass, but the defects recorded at that test point to neglected consumable maintenance. All four tyres were flagged as worn close to the legal limit, with inner edge wear noted on both fronts and both rears. The front wiper blade was also defective. This is not a clean pass. The trend across the record is one of recurring tyre neglect rather than resolving. In March 2020, the car failed on structural tyre damage and passed two days later, yet by November 2023 the same pattern of uneven and borderline tread had returned. That suggests the previous owner treated tyres as a last-minute swap before the test rather than a rolling maintenance item. The mileage profile tells a clear story. The car has covered just 6,385 miles in the three years between March 2020 and November 2023, averaging barely 2,000 miles per year. Before that, it was doing roughly 7,400 miles annually between 2020 and 2022. The low recent mileage implies prolonged sitting, which can cause tyre flat-spotting, perishing, and brake surface corrosion. The gap between 2023 and today, now June 2026, is over two and a half years with no recorded test. That is a long time for a low-mileage car to sit unchecked. A buyer should focus on the tyres and suspension bushes in person. Repeated inner edge wear on both axles is not normal wear. It often points to worn front suspension bushes, tired dampers, or misaligned tracking rather than simple neglect. Have the front and rear suspension arms, ball joints, and drop links inspected for play. Check the subframes and inner wing arches for corrosion, as a 2005 SL of this age can hide structural rust behind trim. The brakes deserve close attention too. Low use combined with standing time can leave discs corroded and pads binding, even if no fault was flagged at the last test. A road test should confirm no pulling, judder, or uneven braking. Finally, verify the current tyre date codes. If the rubber is the same set from late 2023, it is now nearly three years old and will need replacement regardless of remaining tread.