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J23 PAM

1997 Mazda MX-5

Blue Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Jul 2027
Tests30 (19 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate63.3%

Mileage

135,958 mi
Last recorded135,958 miles
Recorded on29 Jul 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

RegistrationJ23 PAM
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 11 fail
Pass 29 Jul 2026 135,958 miles

Under body covered in under seal

Fail 29 Jul 2026 135,958 miles

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

Under body covered in under seal

Pass 26 Jul 2025 135,784 miles

Both sills corroded

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

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

Fail 26 Jul 2025 135,784 miles

Both sills corroded

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

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

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

Pass 26 Jul 2024 133,699 miles

Both sills corroded

Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 21 Jan 2023 130,333 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2022 124,693 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Both rear (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 2 Jan 2021 119,363 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2019 114,492 miles

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 24 Aug 2018 108,148 miles

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

Both sills slightly corroded

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

Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated Both front upper (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Aug 2017 103,855 miles
Fail 21 Aug 2017 103,851 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm attachment bracket/mounting insecure lower arm bolt LOOSE (2.4.G.1) DANGEROUS

Pass 24 Aug 2016 94,520 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2015 94,269 miles

slight corrosion to n/s/r inner sill

Pass 29 Sep 2014 93,973 miles
Fail 19 Sep 2014 93,968 miles

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

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

Pass 25 Sep 2013 93,374 miles

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

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

wipers poor

Fail 25 Sep 2013 93,374 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

wipers poor

Pass 26 Jul 2011 9,276 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2011 92,571 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Pass 27 Jul 2010 90,996 miles

Nail in offside rear tyre

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

all suspension units have surface rust

both front disks pitted

Fail 22 Jul 2010 90,996 miles

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

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

Offside Front Brake hose excessively chafed (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake hose twisted (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)

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

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

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Nail in offside rear tyre

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

both front disks pitted

Pass 1 Jul 2009 88,702 miles

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Fail 29 Jun 2009 88,686 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

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

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

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

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Pass 23 May 2008 83,599 miles
Fail 23 May 2008 83,599 miles

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

Pass 30 May 2007 79,607 miles
Fail 21 May 2007 79,465 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Pass 20 May 2006 74,866 miles
Fail 20 May 2006 74,866 miles

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

front and rear anti roll bar bushs perishing

front brake pads getting low

nearside rear tyre on the wear bocks

offside outer sill corroding

plastic undercovers fitted

slight play in the steering rack

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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J23 PAM is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Blue with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.3%.

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 J23 PAM, 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 J23 PAM?

You can check the full history of J23 PAM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J23 PAM registered?

J23 PAM is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 24 March 1997.

Is J23 PAM safe to buy?

The MOT history for J23 PAM shows 30 tests with a 63.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J23 PAM 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 J23 PAM. 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.