Rare
Among 1988 cars still registered
Rarer than 86% of other 1988 vehicles still registered.
How rare is a 1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL?
1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL
43
still registered in Oz
Very rare
Rarer than 99% of cars still registered
How rare is yours?Oz rare cars
Rarity here means how many are still registered today — not how many were built.
About 43 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL vehicles made in 1988 were still registered in Australia on 31 January 2025. Cars made in 1988 are 13% of every Mercedes-Benz 420SEL still registered (about 333 across all years). By count, 1988 ranks 4th of 6 build years for the 420SEL. The busiest year is 1989 (about 103 still registered); 1988 has about 42% as many. That is about 59% more than 1987. On 31 January 2021 there were about 32 — up about 34% since. Rarer than 86% of other 1988 vehicles still registered.
At a glance
Still registered on Aussie roads · BITRE as at 31 Jan 2025
42%
Versus the busiest 420SEL year
1988 has about 42% as many still registered as 1989 (about 103).
13%
Share of this 420SEL fleet
About 43 of about 333 420SEL vehicles still registered, all years together.
40%
Registered in VIC
About 17 of about 43 are registered in VIC. State figures come from a separate BITRE table, so they can differ slightly from the national count.
Still registered, year by year: 1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL
How many of this exact car were still registered on 31 January each year (2021–2025). Not new sales in those calendar years.
Tap a point for its count.
BITRE snapshots. Later releases can revise earlier years. Pre-2021 figures are not on this chart.
View counts as a table
| Date | Still registered |
|---|---|
| 31 Jan 2021 | About 32 |
| 31 Jan 2022 | About 31 |
| 31 Jan 2023 | About 29 |
| 31 Jan 2024 | About 21 |
| 31 Jan 2025 | About 43 |
1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL vs peak and average years
Below the average manufacture year for this model — tap bars for counts.
1988 420SEL
Peak year (1989)
Average manufacture year
Still registered counts for this model · BITRE as at 31 Jan 2025
420SEL manufacture years by registered count
Manufacture years for the 420SEL, with your year highlighted. Tap a bar for its count.
You
View counts as a table
| Year made | Still registered |
|---|---|
| 1986 | About 59 |
| 1987 | About 27 |
| 1988 | About 43 |
| 1989 | About 103 |
| 1990 | About 78 |
| 1991 | About 23 |
1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL registrations by state
Where these still-registered vehicles are recorded by state/territory
NSW
VIC
QLD
WA
SA
TAS
ACT
NT
Tap a bar for its count.
View counts as a table
| State | Still registered |
|---|---|
| NSW | About 8 |
| VIC | About 17 |
| QLD | About 8 |
| WA | About 7 |
| SA | Not published |
| TAS | Not published |
| ACT | About 3 |
| NT | Not published |
Most common colour: Blue
Victorian registrations of this model, all years. National colour isn’t published.
Power / fuel
All years of this model.
- PetrolAbout 329 registered
- LPG / AutogasAbout 3 registered
- Other / unknownAbout 3 registered
What a fill might cost· tap to enter your postcode
A typical sedan tank is about 60 L — edit if you know yours.
Estimate only. Nearby pump prices from public fuel-price feeds. Not a valuation.
How likely are you to spot one?
About 325,000 cars
Watch this many cars go by and it’s a 50-50 chance one is a 1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL.
Spot a 1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SELUnder 1%
Spot any Mercedes-Benz 420SEL, any yearUnder 1%
A rough guide, based on official registration numbers.
Questions about the 1988 Mercedes-Benz 420SEL
- How does 1988 rank among 420SEL build years?
- 4th of 6 build years by count. About 43 still registered in Australia.
- How many 420SEL vehicles still registered were made in 1988?
- 13% — about 43 of about 333 across all years.
- How rare is it among all 1988 cars still registered?
- Rarer than 86% of other 1988 vehicles still registered.
- Which manufacture year has the most 420SEL still registered?
- 1989. The model page has every build year side by side.
- Which states have the most registered?
- VIC (About 17); NSW (About 8). State figures come from a separate BITRE table, so they can differ slightly from the national count.
Based on BITRE Road Vehicles Australia, January 2021–2025 (CC BY 3.0 AU; the January 2024 release is CC BY 2.5 AU). Colour: Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, Whole Fleet Vehicle Registration Snapshot by Model, Q4 2024 (CC BY 4.0). Oz rare cars is not affiliated with or endorsed by BITRE, the Australian Government or the Victorian Government. Registration counts are not sales, not a valuation, and not advice. Method