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J226 TFC

1998 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1600cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires3 Jun 2027
Tests30 (21 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

223,581 mi
Last recorded223,581 miles
Recorded on22 May 2026
Typical for 1998 Mazda MX-586,993 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ226 TFC
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1998
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,600cc

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

21 pass 9 fail
Pass 22 May 2026 223,581 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2025 222,008 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2024 221,643 miles
Pass 1 Jun 2023 220,067 miles
Pass 26 May 2022 216,750 miles
Pass 10 May 2021 216,382 miles

(inner sills corroded)

(outer sills corroded)

Fuel Pipe/s corroded (front to rears)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Fail 10 May 2021 216,382 miles

Rear Brake pad(s) incorrectly mounted (1.1.13 (c)) DANGEROUS

(inner sills corroded)

(outer sills corroded)

Fuel Pipe/s corroded (front to rears)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 16 Jun 2020 215,453 miles

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

Pass 30 Apr 2019 212,760 miles

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

Fail 29 Apr 2019 212,760 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 1 May 2018 209,790 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 10 May 2017 206,654 miles
Fail 8 May 2017 206,651 miles

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

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

Pass 9 May 2016 201,744 miles
Pass 12 May 2015 196,874 miles
Pass 23 May 2014 193,378 miles
Fail 20 May 2014 193,214 miles

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

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

Pass 2 May 2013 188,429 miles
Fail 2 May 2013 188,429 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 25 May 2012 185,852 miles
Fail 25 May 2012 185,852 miles

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

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 19 May 2011 182,169 miles
Pass 20 May 2010 178,621 miles
Pass 13 May 2009 167,982 miles
Fail 12 May 2009 167,981 miles

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

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 9 May 2008 159,583 miles
Fail 9 May 2008 159,562 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 8 May 2007 150,110 miles
Fail 3 May 2007 150,079 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Pass 26 Apr 2006 138,218 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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J226 TFC is a 1998 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1998 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.9% with a typical mileage of 86,993 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 J226 TFC, 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 28 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 J226 TFC?

You can check the full history of J226 TFC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J226 TFC registered?

J226 TFC is a 1998 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 29 December 1998.

Is J226 TFC safe to buy?

The MOT history for J226 TFC shows 30 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 J226 TFC 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 J226 TFC. 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.