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BAD 14Y

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Apr 2027
Tests28 (21 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

157,847 mi
Last recorded157,847 miles
Recorded on8 Apr 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationBAD 14Y
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

21 pass 7 fail
Pass 8 Apr 2026 157,847 miles
Fail 7 Apr 2026 157,846 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 31 Mar 2025 156,957 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2024 156,144 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2023 155,176 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2022 155,083 miles

Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement ALL (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced ALL (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 7 Apr 2022 155,083 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose leaking on an air braking system (1.1.12 (c) (i))

Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement ALL (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced ALL (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 21 Apr 2021 154,811 miles

Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material both (1.1.11 (c))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced all chassi and suspension. (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 11 May 2020 154,400 miles

corrosion to suspension coil springs,lower arms and both inner sills.

Pass 23 May 2019 153,050 miles
Pass 31 May 2018 151,302 miles
Pass 5 May 2017 150,084 miles
Pass 17 May 2016 147,522 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2015 144,020 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2015 144,020 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Pass 9 Apr 2014 135,207 miles
Pass 27 Mar 2013 126,445 miles

Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Fail 27 Mar 2013 126,443 miles

Front Exhaust catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard (7.1.3)

Front Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 17 Apr 2012 119,044 miles

Corrosion on various suspension components.

N/s handbrake is not as good as o/s.

O/s rear brake disc is corroding.

O/s rear brake pads look low.

Some metal brake pipes are starting to corrode.

Fail 12 Apr 2012 119,041 miles

Front Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Offside Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Corrosion on various suspension components.

N/s handbrake is not as good as o/s.

O/s rear brake disc is corroding.

O/s rear brake pads look low.

Some metal brake pipes are starting to corrode.

Pass 19 Apr 2011 113,760 miles
Fail 19 Apr 2011 113,760 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Pass 17 Mar 2010 101,679 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 11 Mar 2010 100,925 miles

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

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 27 Feb 2009 83,643 miles
Pass 19 Feb 2008 73,500 miles

o/s/r sill showing corrosion/bubbling under paint

Pass 1 Mar 2007 67,998 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2006 63,433 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

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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BAD 14Y is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 performed better than the average for its year.

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 BAD 14Y, 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 BAD 14Y?

You can check the full history of BAD 14Y by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BAD 14Y registered?

BAD 14Y is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 2 July 1997.

Is BAD 14Y safe to buy?

The MOT history for BAD 14Y shows 28 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BAD 14Y 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 BAD 14Y. 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.