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G161 UAL

1997 Mazda MX-5

Blue Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jul 2026
Tests20 (14 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

111,437 mi
Last recorded111,437 miles
Recorded on17 Jul 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationG161 UAL
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,597cc

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 6 fail
Pass 17 Jul 2025 111,437 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill corroded (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 14 Jul 2025 111,437 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill corroded (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 2 May 2024 111,246 miles
Fail 25 Apr 2024 111,245 miles

Emissions unable to be completed catalytic converter missing (8.2.1.2 (d))

Exhaust catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard (8.2.1.1 (a))

Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt both track rod ends (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement all bushes worn and perished (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 2 Jul 2018 110,602 miles

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside door mirror not fitted

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Fail 29 Jun 2018 110,602 miles

Offside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced Chassis leg (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside door mirror not fitted

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Apr 2016 107,292 miles
Fail 15 Apr 2016 107,289 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

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

Pass 8 Apr 2015 100,082 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output (1.7.5a)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

exhaust none standard

Pass 15 Apr 2014 98,587 miles

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside Stop lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

both front tyres and valve stems are perished

nearside front wheel is slightly binding

nearside rear of outer sill is corroding

offside front tyre has uneven wear and is close to limit

Pass 19 Jun 2013 91,046 miles

front tyre valves perishing

nearside handbrake reading down

offside front tyre cracking

Pass 21 Jun 2012 84,569 miles
Fail 20 Jun 2012 84,569 miles

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

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

Pass 26 May 2011 74,485 miles
Fail 25 May 2011 74,465 miles

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

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

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

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

Pass 18 May 2010 68,427 miles
Pass 21 May 2009 67,921 miles
Pass 23 May 2008 67,250 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2007 67,150 miles
Pass 25 May 2006 66,815 miles

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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G161 UAL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Blue with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

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 G161 UAL, 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 G161 UAL?

You can check the full history of G161 UAL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was G161 UAL registered?

G161 UAL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 December 1997.

Is G161 UAL safe to buy?

The MOT history for G161 UAL shows 20 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does G161 UAL 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 G161 UAL. 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.