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J324 JOU

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1600cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires27 Jul 2026
Tests23 (14 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate60.9%

Mileage

170,446 mi
Last recorded170,446 miles
Recorded on28 Jul 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 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

RegistrationJ324 JOU
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
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

14 pass 9 fail
Pass 28 Jul 2025 170,446 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2024 170,569 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin all round (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Jul 2023 169,141 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 7 Jul 2022 165,149 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2019 163,837 miles

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

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

Fail 7 Jun 2019 163,809 miles

Emissions not tested no engine light and oxygen sensor wires are broken (8.2.1.2 (d))

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

Nearside Vehicle structure is deformed and structural rigidity is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch (5.2.3 (f))

Nearside Rear Tyre wheel/tyre protruding beyond wheel arch (5.2.3 (f))

Pass 9 Jun 2018 154,165 miles

Hazard warning switch insecure (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Fail 5 Jun 2018 153,891 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (1.1.2 (c))

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage insecurely attached wing bolt and no locking device (5.3.3 (a) (i))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Upper Seat belt anchorage loose (7.1.1 (b))

Offside Upper Seat belt anchorage loose (7.1.1 (b))

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint likely to become detached no locking device (5.3.4 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint likely to become detached no split pin (5.3.4 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Hazard warning switch insecure (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 23 May 2017 161,436 miles

front tyres worn inside edges

Fail 16 May 2017 161,436 miles

Driver's door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

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

front tyres worn inside edges

Pass 7 Jun 2016 148,584 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2016 148,584 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

Pass 30 May 2015 134,959 miles

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

Pass 9 Jun 2014 131,140 miles
Fail 5 Jun 2014 131,140 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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

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

Pass 5 Jun 2013 129,857 miles
Fail 5 Jun 2013 129,857 miles

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

Offside Front Wheel nut(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Pass 29 May 2008 124,441 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 20 May 2008 124,354 miles

Brake performance not tested (3.7.A.1)

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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)

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

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

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

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

Pass 12 Jun 2007 120,335 miles
Fail 7 Jun 2007 120,260 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

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

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

brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

front tyres worn on edges

lambda sensor disconected

Pass 19 Jul 2006 119,546 miles
Fail 17 Jul 2006 119,544 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

crossion to front subframe

crossion to underside

front tyres bold on raised tread edges

oil leaks to engine and gear box

steering rack damp

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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J324 JOU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60.9%.

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 J324 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 J324 JOU?

You can check the full history of J324 JOU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J324 JOU registered?

J324 JOU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 21 August 1997.

Is J324 JOU safe to buy?

The MOT history for J324 JOU shows 23 tests with a 60.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J324 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 J324 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.