CarVerify

Free Car Check

H826 SEP

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1597cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires15 Oct 2020
Tests18 (13 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate72.2%

Mileage

155,066 mi
Last recorded155,066 miles
Recorded on10 Feb 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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationH826 SEP
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

13 pass 5 fail
Fail 10 Feb 2026 155,066 miles

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

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Front Registration plate missing (0.1 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage insecurely attached (5.3.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Body panel insecure (6.2.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage insecurely attached (5.3.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Body panel insecure (6.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

Offside Front Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Steering locking device ineffective track rod end adjustment lock nut loose (2.1.3 (d))

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

Power steering malfunctioning belt loose (2.1.5 (a))

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is inadequately repaired inner and outer arches not welded together both sides (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Rear fog lamp missing (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Brake hydraulic reservoir close to minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (i))

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 16 Apr 2019 151,726 miles

slight corrosion to front cross member and vehicle

slight oil leak

Pass 5 Jun 2017 146,061 miles

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

Suspension components corroded

sills corroded both sides

Fail 23 May 2017 146,059 miles

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

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

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

Offside Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded chassis (2.4.A.3)

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

Clutch fluid leak

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

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

Suspension components corroded

sills corroded both sides

Pass 9 Mar 2016 138,839 miles

Nearside Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

lower edges of front wings corroded

windscreen damaged but drivers view ok

Fail 2 Mar 2016 138,818 miles

Nearside Rear rear brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

Offside Front Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded rear mount area (2.4.A.3)

rear brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Nearside Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear rear brake fluctuating, but not excessively (3.7.B.3)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

lower edges of front wings corroded

windscreen damaged but drivers view ok

Pass 9 Dec 2014 132,921 miles

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

n/s/f and o/s/f wings corroded

Pass 11 Dec 2013 125,086 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2013 115,792 miles
Fail 11 Feb 2013 115,792 miles

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Pass 13 Feb 2012 115,218 miles
Pass 15 Feb 2011 114,439 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2010 112,956 miles
Pass 16 Feb 2009 109,447 miles

offside front brake binding slightly

Pass 18 Feb 2008 104,778 miles
Pass 16 Feb 2007 99,843 miles
Fail 9 Feb 2007 99,769 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 10 Feb 2006 96,221 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

H826 SEP is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.2%.

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 H826 SEP, 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 H826 SEP?

You can check the full history of H826 SEP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was H826 SEP registered?

H826 SEP is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 8 October 1997.

Is H826 SEP safe to buy?

The MOT history for H826 SEP shows 18 tests with a 72.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does H826 SEP 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 H826 SEP. 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.