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E16 RMA

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Jun 2027
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

123,312 mi
Last recorded123,312 miles
Recorded on30 Jun 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationE16 RMA
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,840cc

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

14 pass 8 fail
Pass 30 Jun 2026 123,312 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2025 119,629 miles
Fail 12 Jun 2025 119,629 miles

Offside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Pass 24 Jun 2024 116,147 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2024 115,985 miles

Offside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Apr 2023 110,702 miles

Central Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 11 Apr 2022 109,477 miles
Pass 21 Oct 2014 109,334 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 7 Oct 2014 109,334 miles

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

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 14 Aug 2013 108,379 miles

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 31 Aug 2012 107,934 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

Fail 24 Aug 2012 107,934 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Nearside Rear Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

Pass 21 Sep 2011 106,596 miles

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight damage (6.1.A.1)

Offside Outer Rear Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Fail 20 Sep 2011 106,596 miles

Offside Rear rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has slight damage (6.1.A.1)

Offside Outer Rear Upper Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak

Pass 24 Sep 2010 103,895 miles

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

Fail 21 Sep 2010 103,894 miles

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

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

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

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

advise n/side tyre worn on inside

Pass 2 Sep 2009 98,133 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2009 98,131 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 has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

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

advise brake fluid level low

Pass 30 Jul 2008 90,769 miles

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

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Fail 30 Jul 2008 90,769 miles

Centre Rear Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

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

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 23 Jul 2007 81,711 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Rear Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

bothy outer sills corroded

Pass 15 Aug 2006 71,328 miles

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

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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E16 RMA is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

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 E16 RMA, 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 E16 RMA?

You can check the full history of E16 RMA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E16 RMA registered?

E16 RMA is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 15 August 1997.

Is E16 RMA safe to buy?

The MOT history for E16 RMA shows 22 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E16 RMA 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 E16 RMA. 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.