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H18 VAB

1999 Mazda MX-5

Blue Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Sep 2026
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

144,436 mi
Last recorded144,436 miles
Recorded on15 Sep 2025
Typical for 1999 Mazda MX-582,499 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

RegistrationH18 VAB
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1999
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

18 pass 8 fail
Pass 15 Sep 2025 144,436 miles

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

some underbody rust

suspenion components corroding

Fail 15 Sep 2025 144,436 miles

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

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

some underbody rust

suspenion components corroding

Pass 30 Sep 2024 143,590 miles

Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

o/s front brake low efficiency/slight drag

underbody rust needs addressing

Fail 28 Sep 2024 143,586 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

o/s front brake low efficiency/slight drag

underbody rust needs addressing

Pass 7 Sep 2023 142,073 miles

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

rear spring top mountings corroding

suspension components corroding

underbody corroding

Pass 17 Sep 2022 141,603 miles

Nearside Front brake bind

underbody corrosion including o/s/f underfloor

Pass 8 Sep 2021 140,459 miles

Offside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

cannot view repairs well due to protective layer

underbody rust including wishbones

Fail 25 Aug 2021 140,353 miles

Offside Rear Outer Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Inner Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced 2x sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

underbody rust including wishbones

Pass 20 Aug 2020 138,510 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Rear Position lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp both sides (4.2.3 (c))

o/s rear inner sill corroding

underbody rust needs addressing

Pass 13 May 2019 137,045 miles

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

o/s inner sill corroding

suspension components corroding

Pass 3 May 2018 135,512 miles

rear inner/outer sills corroding

slight drag on o/s front brake

underbody rust needs addressing

Pass 15 May 2017 133,983 miles
Fail 11 May 2017 133,968 miles

Offside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 4 May 2016 132,289 miles

o/s rear tyre worn on inside

underbody rust needs addressing

Pass 6 May 2015 131,254 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

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

Oil leak

Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

some underbody rust

suspension components corroding

Pass 14 May 2014 130,305 miles

n/s rear inner sill corroding

o/s front spring poorly seated

some underbody rust

Pass 13 May 2013 129,619 miles

some underbody rust

Fail 8 May 2013 129,602 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside front brake grabbing slightly (3.7.A.2b)

some underbody rust

Fail 24 Apr 2012 127,627 miles

Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Oil leak

rear sills corroding

some underbody rust

Pass 24 Apr 2012 127,627 miles

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

Oil leak

rear sills corroding

some underbody rust

Pass 18 Jan 2011 126,001 miles

Oil leak

underbody rust needs addressing

Fail 27 Jan 2010 124,837 miles

Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Rear Brake pipe inadequately supported (3.6.B.1)

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

o/s/f brake bind

Pass 27 Jan 2010 124,837 miles

Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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

o/s/f brake bind

Pass 23 Jan 2009 122,743 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2008 120,296 miles

Nearside rear outer sill dented

Offside front suspension dust gaiter split

Offside rear outer sill corroded

Slight binding to offside front brake

Various oil leaks evident

Fail 6 Feb 2008 120,294 miles

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b)

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

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g) DANGEROUS

Nearside rear outer sill dented

Offside front suspension dust gaiter split

Offside rear outer sill corroded

Slight binding to offside front brake

Various oil leaks evident

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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H18 VAB is a 1999 Mazda MX-5 in Blue with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

Across all 1999 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.8% with a typical mileage of 82,499 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 H18 VAB, 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 27 years old, this Mazda MX-5 is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of H18 VAB?

You can check the full history of H18 VAB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H18 VAB registered?

H18 VAB is a 1999 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 23 July 1999.

Is H18 VAB safe to buy?

The MOT history for H18 VAB shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H18 VAB 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 H18 VAB. 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.