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ACO 51C

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Oct 2026
Tests19 (12 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate63.2%

Mileage

185,471 mi
Last recorded185,471 miles
Recorded on12 Sep 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

RegistrationACO 51C
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,839cc

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

12 pass 7 fail
Pass 12 Sep 2025 185,471 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2024 175,083 miles
Pass 10 Jul 2021 173,008 miles

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

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 26 Oct 2018 170,634 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

interior mirror missing

Fail 15 Oct 2018 170,523 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

interior mirror missing

Pass 23 Apr 2016 167,030 miles
Fail 16 Apr 2016 166,996 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded to front steel brake pipe corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 20 Nov 2013 157,212 miles

n/s/r handbrake effort poor

o/s/r wheel buckled

Fail 20 Nov 2013 157,212 miles

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

n/s/r handbrake effort poor

o/s/r wheel buckled

Pass 16 Apr 2012 149,098 miles
Fail 26 Mar 2012 148,859 miles

Nearside Front brake caliper leaking (3.6.A.1)

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

Pass 18 May 2011 138,276 miles
Fail 9 May 2011 138,085 miles

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

Pass 12 May 2010 120,788 miles

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Fail 5 May 2010 120,765 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Pass 24 Apr 2009 109,290 miles
Pass 3 May 2008 101,241 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2007 100,880 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2007 100,880 miles

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

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

Battery insecure

Centre Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.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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ACO 51C is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.2%.

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 ACO 51C, 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 ACO 51C?

You can check the full history of ACO 51C by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ACO 51C registered?

ACO 51C is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 7 May 1997.

Is ACO 51C safe to buy?

The MOT history for ACO 51C shows 19 tests with a 63.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does ACO 51C 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 ACO 51C. 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.