CarVerify

Free Car Check

J251 JOU

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Aug 2026
Tests17 (13 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate76.5%

Mileage

53,818 mi
Last recorded53,818 miles
Recorded on12 Aug 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationJ251 JOU
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,598cc

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 4 fail
Pass 12 Aug 2025 53,818 miles

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

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

Pass 31 Jul 2024 52,856 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2023 50,996 miles

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

Pass 17 Aug 2022 49,034 miles

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

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

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Fail 11 Aug 2022 49,014 miles

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

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

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

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 22 Jun 2015 48,025 miles

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

Fail 16 Jun 2015 48,009 miles

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

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

Pass 19 May 2014 47,576 miles

slight corrosion of both rear inner and outer sills

slight corrosion of the offside rear inner wheel arch

Pass 24 Apr 2013 46,776 miles

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

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

Pass 2 Apr 2012 44,921 miles

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

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

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

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

slight corrosion of all coil springs

Pass 21 Apr 2011 43,264 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (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)

o/s rear brake disc corroded

Fail 18 Apr 2011 43,264 miles

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

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (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)

o/s rear brake disc corroded

Pass 28 Apr 2010 41,624 miles

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

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

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside 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 24 Jun 2008 40,231 miles

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

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 9 Jun 2007 39,293 miles
Fail 7 Jun 2007 39,266 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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

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

Pass 23 Jun 2006 38,101 miles

advisorys attached

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

J251 JOU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.5%.

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 J251 JOU, 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 J251 JOU?

You can check the full history of J251 JOU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J251 JOU registered?

J251 JOU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 14 July 1997.

Is J251 JOU safe to buy?

The MOT history for J251 JOU shows 17 tests with a 76.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J251 JOU 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 J251 JOU. 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.