1986 Mercedes-Benz SL Class 420SL in Brighouse

What this car costs to run

Modelled over 7,100 miles a year (DfT National Travel Survey, England). Ranges, not quotes — every figure here is an estimate.

Vehicle tax (VED)Registered 1986, right on the 40-year line for the historic (tax-exempt) class, which depends on the date it was built — ask the dealer

Ask the dealer

FuelOur real-world economy data does not yet cover a 4.2-litre petrol engine, so fuel is left out rather than guessed

Not estimated

Insurance (UK average)The UK average premium actually paid for comprehensive cover, £566 in Q2 2026 (ABI) — an average across every driver, postcode and car, not a quote for this one. Yours turns on your age, postcode and record and on the car’s insurance group. A 17–20-year-old new driver typically pays more than this average: see our guide to the cheapest cars to insure as a new driver, or the ABI figures

£566

ServicingFrom a minor service (£300–£500) to a major one (£600–£1,100) on a Mercedes, from Autoza's own servicing estimates by make, not survey data. Routine servicing only — excludes repairs and tyres

£300–£1,100

MOT test£54.85 maximum in Great Britain — the DVSA cap, and many garages charge less — with the first test on the third anniversary of registration. DVSA: 27.51% of car and light-van MOTs in Great Britain failed their initial test in 2025/26, and repairs are extra

up to £54.85

Total of the figures aboveLeaves out road tax and fuel, which we could not estimate for this car, so the real yearly cost is higher

£900–£1,750

Work out the vehicle tax with our car tax calculator (it opens with this car's year, fuel and engine size filled in), or put in your own mileage and prices with the running cost calculator.