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J381 HTU

1998 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires17 Apr 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

222,192 mi
Last recorded222,192 miles
Recorded on27 Mar 2025
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

RegistrationJ381 HTU
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1998
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,839cc

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

20 pass 4 fail
Pass 27 Mar 2025 222,192 miles

Front Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Rear Sub-frame is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 18 Apr 2024 222,158 miles

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

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

Pass 13 Apr 2023 222,136 miles

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both fronts (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both fronts slight edge wear (5.2.3 (e))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded front to rear lines ()

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced general areas of under body and suspension (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 3 Apr 2023 222,136 miles

Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced both rear ends f sill sections (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both fronts (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both fronts slight edge wear (5.2.3 (e))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded front to rear lines ()

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced general areas of under body and suspension (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 9 Mar 2022 222,047 miles

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both front tyres worn on inner edges (5.2.3 (e))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded ()

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced several areas of body and underbody (6.1.1 (c) (i))

general corrosion to all suspension components

Pass 16 Mar 2021 221,938 miles

Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both front tyres worn on edges (5.2.3 (e))

Front Windscreen wiper blade defective both fronts (3.4 (b) (i))

Fuel Pipe/s corroded front to rear pipes ()

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

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced several areas of underbody corrosion and some heavy corrosion to both rear sill ends/rear inner arches (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 4 Mar 2020 221,888 miles

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 12 Mar 2019 221,711 miles

corrosion to both inner and outer sills.

Pass 7 Mar 2018 221,127 miles
Pass 13 Mar 2017 220,710 miles

Nearside Rear sill corroded

Pass 15 Mar 2016 219,698 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2015 218,941 miles

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

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

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

Pass 18 Mar 2014 216,251 miles
Pass 14 Mar 2013 213,529 miles

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

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

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

Fail 27 Feb 2013 213,477 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

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

Oil leak

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

Pass 6 Mar 2012 203,019 miles

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

Offside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 8 Mar 2011 190,657 miles
Pass 3 Mar 2010 89,357 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2009 181,616 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2008 149,661 miles
Pass 11 Apr 2007 147,670 miles
Fail 10 Apr 2007 147,670 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Nearside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

n/s sill reaired with filler (not excessive)

Fail 8 Feb 2006 144,885 miles

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

advise brake service

Pass 8 Feb 2006 144,885 miles

advise brake service

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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J381 HTU is a 1998 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

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 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 J381 HTU, 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 J381 HTU?

You can check the full history of J381 HTU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J381 HTU registered?

J381 HTU is a 1998 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 10 September 1998.

Is J381 HTU safe to buy?

The MOT history for J381 HTU shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J381 HTU 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 J381 HTU. 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.