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Mercedes-benz 600sl vs Mercedes-benz A-class: reliability comparison

MOT pass rates, common faults and mileage compared from real UK MOT data.

Mercedes-benz 600sl
71%
MOT pass rate · 2 vehicles
Mercedes-benz A-class
78%
MOT pass rate · 362,612 vehicles
Verdict: On MOT pass rate the Mercedes-benz 600sl (71%) and Mercedes-benz A-class (78%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Head to head

Measure Mercedes-benz 600sl Mercedes-benz A-class
MOT pass rate 71% 78% ✓
MOT failure rate 29% 22% ✓
Faults & advisories per test 2.4 1.6 ✓
Dangerous-fault share 0% ✓ 3%
Average mileage 11,310 mi 86,210 mi
Sample size (vehicles) 2 362,612

Most common faults

Mercedes-benz 600sl

  1. Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))
  2. Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))
  3. Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))
  4. Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))
  5. Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))
  6. Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Mercedes-benz A-class

  1. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  2. Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))
  3. Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  4. Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components
  5. Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)
  6. Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Reliability FAQ

On MOT pass rate the Mercedes-benz 600sl (71%) and Mercedes-benz A-class (78%) are very close — weigh the individual measures below, and remember condition depends on age, mileage and upkeep.

Full Mercedes-benz 600sl report Full Mercedes-benz A-class report Most reliable cars

Pass rates are computed over completed (pass/fail) MOT tests. Reliability also depends on age, mileage and upkeep — see each model's page for the full picture.