Mercedes-Benz 260
Registered from 1990 to 1992.
About this model
The Mercedes-Benz 260 D, coded Mercedes-Benz W 138 according to internal works designation, was the first passenger car with diesel engine in a series production. The 260 D was named in reference to its engine displacement. Nearly 2,000 vehicles were assembled until 1940 when the Daimler-Benz devoted itself almost entirely to military manufacture.
From the Wikipedia article Mercedes-Benz 260 D, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What fails its inspection
Great Britain's MOT record for the 1990 2.6 petrol. 18 of 65 tests failed, 28%.
Better than 16% of 1990 cars. The typical one fails 21%, across 86 models with enough tests behind them to say.
| Where | Share of failures | Failed tests |
|---|---|---|
| Brakes | 61% | 11 |
| Lights and electrics | 50% | 9 |
| Suspension | 39% | 7 |
| Body and structure | 28% | 5 |
| Exhaust and emissions | 22% | 4 |
| Tyres and wheels | 17% | 3 |
The defects inspectors cite
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
- A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded
Where it stands out against its peers
- Brakes: failed more often than 91% of 1990 cars — 61% of its 18 failed tests, where an ordinary 1990 car has 40%.
Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.
NHTSA's investigations are American; no European regulator publishes an equivalent record, so this section has nothing to draw on for a European car. There is no European equivalent of the service-bulletin register either.
Before you buy one
Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.
- Brakes — 61% of its failures
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- Significant brake effort recorded with no brake applied indicating a binding brake
- A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded
- Suspension — 39% of its failures
- A spring or spring component fractured or seriously weakened
- Exhaust and emissions — 22% of its failures
- Exhaust system leaking or insecure
- Tyres and wheels — 17% of its failures
- A tyre seriously damaged
- Lights and electrics — 50% of its failures
- A direction indicator lamp missing, inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- An obligatory rear fog lamp missing, or a front or rear fog lamp inoperative or in the case of a multiple light source more than 1/2 not functioning
- Body and structure — 28% of its failures
- Brake pipe damaged or excessively corroded
- A brake hose ferrule excessively corroded