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F28 TAS

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires6 May 2027
Tests27 (16 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate59.3%

Mileage

166,857 mi
Last recorded166,857 miles
Recorded on7 May 2026
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

RegistrationF28 TAS
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

16 pass 11 fail
Pass 7 May 2026 166,857 miles
Fail 5 May 2026 166,856 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Fail 5 Jun 2024 166,820 miles

Driver's view of the road through the swept area of the windscreen significantly affected by an obstruction stuff hanging from mirror (3.1 (a) (ii))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill panel (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Jun 2023 162,692 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Rust hole in sill

Fail 1 Jun 2023 162,690 miles

Battery insecure and likely to cause a short circuit (4.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

Offside Rear Rust hole in sill

Pass 4 Jun 2022 158,119 miles

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 20 May 2022 158,118 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 19 Sep 2019 157,047 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 16 Sep 2019 157,040 miles

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 10 Sep 2018 152,875 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

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

all suspension arms corroded

Pass 21 Sep 2017 147,919 miles
Fail 14 Sep 2017 147,907 miles

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded inner sill (5.2.6)

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

Pass 15 Sep 2016 142,316 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2015 138,576 miles

oil leak

Fail 10 Sep 2015 138,576 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure inner wall (4.1.D.1b)

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

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure inner wall (4.1.D.1b)

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

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid close to minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

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

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

oil leak

Pass 5 Sep 2014 133,990 miles

Oil leak

Fail 2 Sep 2014 133,978 miles

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 8 Mar 2013 125,841 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 5 Mar 2013 125,841 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 3 Feb 2012 120,249 miles

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

Pass 18 Feb 2011 11,755 miles
Fail 18 Feb 2011 11,755 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a lump, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 9 Feb 2010 103,192 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Jan 2009 95,763 miles

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

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

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

Pass 13 Dec 2007 86,503 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2006 78,150 miles
Fail 11 Dec 2006 78,149 miles

Nearside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

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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F28 TAS is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 59.3%.

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 F28 TAS, 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 F28 TAS?

You can check the full history of F28 TAS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was F28 TAS registered?

F28 TAS is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is F28 TAS safe to buy?

The MOT history for F28 TAS shows 27 tests with a 59.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does F28 TAS 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 F28 TAS. 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.