2017 Mercedes-Benz E 1.9L Diesel · YC17 NNY

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz E-Class presents a mixed maintenance picture following its most recent MOT pass on 26 February 2026 at 59,779 miles. The overall trend is one of gradual deterioration rather than catastrophic failure, with the vehicle transitioning from a clean bill of health in 2021 and 2023 to accumulating steering and braking advisories by 2025 and 2026. The February 2026 test flagged slight play in the offside front track rod end ball joint, a defect that was absent from the clean 2023 pass at 43,983 miles. This suggests the front-end components have worn through normal use over the last three years, but the failure to rectify the offside steering rack inner joint play noted in both February and March 2025 indicates the previous owner tolerated developing play rather than addressing it proactively. The maintenance trajectory is stable but declining, with minor wear items accumulating rather than being resolved between annual tests. The mileage profile tells a story of consistent but slightly increasing use over the vehicle's life. Between October 2021 at 29,256 miles and March 2023 at 43,983 miles, the car covered 14,727 miles in roughly seventeen months, an annualised rate of approximately 10,390 miles per year. That pace moderated to around 7,914 miles per year between March 2023 and February 2026, bringing the total to 59,779 miles. The 2025 MOT cluster is notable, with two tests logged within ten days at 51,832 and 51,865 miles, the first a failure for a worn nearside rear tyre and the second a pass after replacement. The gap between the 2023 and 2025 tests is nearly two years, suggesting the car may have stood or been used very lightly during that period before returning to regular service. The overall annual average of roughly 6,642 miles remains typical for a nine-year-old executive saloon, and there are no glaring mileage anomalies or suspicious gaps in the record. A buyer should focus their physical inspection on the front steering and rear braking systems, as these are the areas where the record shows persistent, unresolved wear. The offside track rod end ball joint play logged in February 2026 and the offside steering rack inner joint play flagged in both 2025 tests point to cumulative wear in the steering linkage. Have a workshop check for play across the inner and outer tie rods, rack bushings, and the condition of the steering rack boots for splits that could admit moisture and accelerate corrosion. The rear brake discs were noted as worn, pitted, or scored in both 2025 tests, and while the tester judged them not seriously weakened, this is a recurring observation that warrants measuring disc thickness and checking for lipping or uneven pad wear that could indicate a binding caliper. Inspect the rear brake pads for uneven deposits and slide pins for free movement. The nearside rear tyre failure in February 2025 suggests the rear axle may be subject to uneven wear patterns, possibly from alignment drift or suspension bush wear, so a four-wheel alignment check is prudent. Beyond these flagged items, examine the subframes, suspension mounting points, and inner wing arches for corrosion, as these are common failure points on Mercedes-Benz models of this generation that do not always surface on MOT advisories unless advanced.