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A20 GDS

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Aug 2026
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

123,455 mi
Last recorded123,455 miles
Recorded on15 Aug 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationA20 GDS
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,598cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

18 pass 8 fail
Pass 15 Aug 2025 123,455 miles

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All four outer side wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

under body covered in under seal

Pass 13 Jun 2024 123,216 miles

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All four outer side wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

under body covered in under seal

Pass 9 Dec 2022 122,194 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer side wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer side wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 6 Dec 2022 122,181 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer side wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing outer side wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Nov 2021 121,379 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2020 118,178 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2020 118,161 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 2 Apr 2019 117,202 miles

Central Vehicle structure is deformed but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Fail 2 Apr 2019 117,202 miles

Central Vehicle structure is deformed but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 11 May 2017 116,663 miles
Fail 24 Apr 2017 116,651 miles

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded Chassis rail (2.4.A.3)

Pass 19 Apr 2016 115,955 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit Inner edge (4.1.E.1)

Fail 18 Apr 2016 115,950 miles

Offside Brake pipe leaking Under bonnet (3.6.A.1)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit Inner edge (4.1.E.1)

Pass 5 Feb 2015 114,209 miles
Fail 29 Jan 2015 114,198 miles

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 10 Feb 2014 111,164 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2013 105,137 miles
Pass 13 Jan 2012 100,957 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2011 97,642 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2010 92,056 miles
Fail 14 Jan 2010 91,985 miles

Nearside Front coil spring cracked (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Front coil spring cracked (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a) DANGEROUS

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

Exhaust rubber mount poor condition

Nearside wiper split

Pass 6 Mar 2009 91,586 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2008 89,178 miles
Pass 19 Mar 2007 83,413 miles
Fail 15 Mar 2007 83,413 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 24 Mar 2006 75,863 miles

Nearside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

How Reliable is the Mazda MX-5?

Based on 2,502,760 MOT tests across 160,823 vehicles.

76.5%
Pass Rate
2,964
Miles/Year
36
Year Lifespan
160,823
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded 44,475
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 41,962
Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively 35,980
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 33,281
Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick 32,722
Full Mazda MX-5 reliability report

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A20 GDS is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

Across all 1997 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.7% with a typical mileage of 85,711 miles. This particular vehicle has a lower pass rate than the average for its year, which may indicate maintenance issues worth investigating.

The most common reason a Mazda MX-5 fails its MOT is seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded, accounting for 44,475 recorded failures. If you're considering buying A20 GDS, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Mazda MX-5 typically stays on UK roads for around 36 years. At 29 years old, this Mazda MX-5 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of A20 GDS?

You can check the full history of A20 GDS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was A20 GDS registered?

A20 GDS is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 12 April 1997.

Is A20 GDS safe to buy?

The MOT history for A20 GDS shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does A20 GDS have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on A20 GDS. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.