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J326 HMV

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 Jul 2026
Tests22 (17 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate77.3%

Mileage

152,441 mi
Last recorded152,441 miles
Recorded on30 Jul 2025
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

RegistrationJ326 HMV
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

17 pass 5 fail
Pass 30 Jul 2025 152,441 miles
Pass 24 Jun 2022 151,754 miles

Central Front oil leak from engine

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

Pass 15 Jun 2021 151,080 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Stop lamp(s) non-obligatory stop lamp not working top stop (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 12 Jun 2019 150,158 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Stop lamp(s) non-obligatory stop lamp not working top (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 4 Jun 2018 148,789 miles

Fan belt cracking

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 1 Jun 2018 148,789 miles

Oil leaking excessively from transmission (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Fan belt cracking

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 26 May 2017 146,370 miles

Central Rear Stop lamp has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.2.1b)

Offside Front tyre perishing

Rear Stop lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Fail 24 May 2017 146,370 miles

Nearside Hazard warning lamps inoperative (1.4.B.1b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Front tyre perishing

Rear Stop lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Pass 3 Jun 2016 143,290 miles

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

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

Fail 2 Jun 2016 143,290 miles

Nearside Front 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 Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Pass 3 Jun 2015 142,213 miles

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

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

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

Oil leak

Fail 3 Jun 2015 142,213 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 19 May 2014 139,753 miles

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

Oil leak

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

n/s/f tyre wearing uneven and cracking

o/s/f tyre wearing uneven

Pass 23 May 2013 136,558 miles

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

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

Pass 11 May 2012 132,749 miles

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

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

Pass 13 May 2011 129,732 miles
Fail 12 May 2011 129,729 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Pass 13 May 2010 125,398 miles
Pass 15 May 2009 121,676 miles
Pass 14 May 2008 118,152 miles
Pass 16 May 2007 111,497 miles
Pass 17 May 2006 107,633 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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J326 HMV is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.3%.

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 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 J326 HMV, 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 J326 HMV?

You can check the full history of J326 HMV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J326 HMV registered?

J326 HMV is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 20 December 1997.

Is J326 HMV safe to buy?

The MOT history for J326 HMV shows 22 tests with a 77.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J326 HMV 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 J326 HMV. 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.