MOT fail rates by first-use year

2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOT fail rate and common faults

How Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars first used in 2008 did at their MOTs from 2022 to 2025, against all cars of the same age. From 62,039 DVSA MOT tests of these cars. First use is usually the date the car was first registered.

MOT data updated 28 September 2026

At 17 years, tested in 2025

MOT fail rate at age 17 (n=13,304)35.8%

All cars at 17 years (n=4,040,458)43.1%

Difference−7.3 pts

MOT tests of 2008 cars, 2022 to 202562,039

What stands out

In 2025, at 17 years old, Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars first used in 2008 failed 35.8% of MOTs (13,304 tests), 7.3 points below the 43.1% for all cars that age.
From 2022 to 2025, as these cars went from 14 to 17 years old, the fail rate moved from 35.9% to 35.8%.
Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars first used a year earlier, in 2007, failed 38.5% at the same age of 17 years (13,240 tests, in 2024).
The most common fail item that is not a wear item, for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class at 17 years, is suspension ball joint worn, at 8.6 per 100 MOTs (all cars: 2.4).

MOT fail rate by test year

Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars first used in 2008: share of MOT tests that failed, by test year, against all cars of the same age. Years with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.
Test year	Age	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars	Difference
2022	14 years	35.9%	17,388	40.3%	−4.4 pts
2023	15 years	35.6%	16,386	41.6%	−6.0 pts
2024	16 years	36.9%	14,961	42.6%	−5.6 pts
2025	17 years	35.8%	13,304	43.1%	−7.3 pts

Most common faults at 17 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs at 17 years: cars first used 2005 to 2008, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=51,777). The list uses every first-use year so it has enough tests. Wear items (tyres, brake pads, wipers, bulbs) say more about upkeep than about the design.

MOT fail items

Fail item	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Suspension ball joint worn	8.6	2.4
Coil spring broken	5.3	3.5
Tyre tread below 1.6 mm Wear	3.7	3.0
Headlamp aim: projected beam image is obviously incorrect Wear	3.1	3.6
Linkage ball joint dust cover: ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt	3.1	1.8
Side/position light not working Wear	2.8	5.8
Engine warning lamp at the petrol emissions check: not working or showing a fault	2.7	2.2
Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded	2.5	1.9
Handbrake too weak	2.3	2.7
Steering track rod end: ball joint play	2.2	1.9

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=51,777). A test with two items counts once for each.

Advisories

Advisory	Per 100 MOTs	All cars
Tyre tread close to the legal limit or worn on the edge Wear	19.0	17.9
Rigid brake pipes: corroded, covered in grease or other material	18.6	10.5
Brake discs: worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened	9.3	11.3
Coil spring: corroded	9.1	7.5
Suspension pin or bush worn, without excessive movement	8.3	8.7
Brake pads wearing thin Wear	7.4	6.6
Suspension ball joint: slight play	7.4	2.5
Wheel bearings: has slight play	6.4	1.1
Tyre condition: slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Wear	6.2	9.6
Sub-frame: corroded but not seriously weakened	5.4	5.3

Per 100 of the MOTs above (n=51,777). A test with two items counts once for each.

Fuel type at 17 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs at 17 years: cars first used 2005 to 2008, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=51,777). Each fuel is set against all cars of the same fuel and age. Fuels with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Fuel	Share of tests	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars, same fuel	Median mileage
Petrol	50.7%	38.2%	26,229	43.2%	100,269 miles
Diesel	49.3%	40.6%	25,531	43.2%	133,029 miles

Fail rate by mileage at 17 years

These figures cover all Mercedes-Benz C-Class MOTs at 17 years: cars first used 2005 to 2008, tested 2022 to 2025 (n=51,777). At 17 years, Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars at over 150,000 miles failed more often (44.9%, n=11,311) than those at 30,000 to 60,000 miles (26.4%, n=3,550). Bands with fewer than 1,000 tests are not shown.

Mileage at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
30,000 to 60,000 miles	26.4%	3,550	32.5%
60,000 to 90,000 miles	34.1%	9,484	41.7%
90,000 to 120,000 miles	40.5%	14,212	46.2%
120,000 to 150,000 miles	43.1%	12,148	47.1%
Over 150,000 miles	44.9%	11,311	46.5%

Car tax rules for a 2008 car

Cars first registered from 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 are taxed by CO2 emissions band, from band A (the lowest emissions) to band M. The band is set by the CO2 figure on the V5C logbook.

These are the rules, not the amount for a specific car. Car tax check

ULEZ and clean air zones

Petrol cars first registered from 2006 usually meet Euro 4, the petrol standard for the London ULEZ, so they usually do not pay the daily charge.
Diesel cars first registered before September 2015 usually do not meet Euro 6, so a 2008 diesel usually pays the ULEZ daily charge. A few models met Euro 6 early.
Hybrids follow the Euro standard of their petrol or diesel engine.
The clean air zones in Birmingham and Bristol use the same Euro 4 petrol and Euro 6 diesel standards. The low emission zones in Scotland use them too, but enforce them with fines, not a daily charge.

The Euro standard of the car decides, not the year alone. ULEZ checker

Other years of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class

2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class 2009 Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Other Mercedes-Benz models first used in 2008

Model	Age at test	MOT fail rate	Tests (n)	All cars
Mercedes-Benz A-Class (2008)	17 years in 2025	41.8%	6,146	43.1%
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2008)	17 years in 2025	29.9%	3,878	43.1%
Mercedes-Benz B-Class (2008)	17 years in 2025	44.5%	3,099	43.1%
Mercedes-Benz SLK (2008)	17 years in 2025	31.9%	3,137	43.1%
Mercedes-Benz CLK (2008)	17 years in 2025	39.0%	2,461	43.1%
Mercedes-Benz M-Class (2008)	17 years in 2025	31.6%	1,926	43.1%
Mercedes-Benz CLC (2008)	17 years in 2025	42.5%	2,025	43.1%
Mercedes-Benz CLS (2008)	17 years in 2025	30.9%	1,182	43.1%

More on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Read this with care. A fail rate is not a measure of build quality. How far cars are driven, how they are used and how well owners maintain them all change it, and wear items such as tyres and brake pads are common fails. Compare a model only with cars of the same age. Methodology and limits.

Found one you might buy? Vet the specific car.

These figures describe 2008 Mercedes-Benz C-Class cars as a group, not any one car. The VetTheCar Buying Report looks at the car you are buying: its MOT history, what similar cars did next, and what to ask the seller.

See an example Buying Report All car tools

Source

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test data, class 4 normal MOT tests, 2022 to 2025. MOT data updated 28 September 2026.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by DVSA. How we calculate these figures · Data sources

Car tax and clean air zone rules are summarised from GOV.UK and Transport for London guidance. They are general rules and are not drawn from the MOT data.