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J397 XCF

1991 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Oct 2026
Tests27 (18 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

180,145 mi
Last recorded180,145 miles
Recorded on31 Oct 2025
Typical for 1991 Mazda MX-5114,279 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ397 XCF
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1991
ColourRed
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

18 pass 9 fail
Pass 31 Oct 2025 180,145 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 11 Jul 2024 177,395 miles

Fuel smell under bonnet

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

Fail 5 Jul 2024 177,363 miles

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

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Fuel smell under bonnet

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

Nearside Front Position light flickering

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

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

Pass 19 May 2022 175,252 miles
Fail 18 May 2022 175,241 miles

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

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

Pass 4 May 2021 170,444 miles

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

Fail 30 Apr 2021 170,324 miles

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

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

Rear fog lamp tell-tale not working (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 7 May 2020 166,413 miles
Fail 6 May 2020 166,412 miles

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 3 Nov 2018 163,225 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 11 Oct 2017 159,978 miles

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

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

Pass 4 Oct 2016 157,866 miles
Pass 7 Oct 2015 153,654 miles
Fail 1 Oct 2015 153,654 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

Pass 14 Oct 2014 145,971 miles

Oil leak

Fail 9 Oct 2014 145,970 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Oil leak

Pass 10 Oct 2013 137,175 miles

Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 8 Oct 2013 137,168 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

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

Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 8 Oct 2012 131,825 miles

rear brake disc worn/corroded

Pass 12 Sep 2011 127,674 miles
Fail 12 Sep 2011 127,674 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 8 Oct 2010 123,164 miles

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

Pass 8 Oct 2009 120,133 miles

Nearside rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

Offside rear brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.5b)

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

rear number plate slightly deteriorated

Pass 9 Oct 2008 115,832 miles

Nearside Rear 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 9 Oct 2007 111,361 miles
Fail 10 Oct 2006 101,041 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Pass 10 Oct 2006 101,041 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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J397 XCF is a 1991 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

Across all 1991 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.4% with a typical mileage of 114,279 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 J397 XCF, 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 35 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 J397 XCF?

You can check the full history of J397 XCF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J397 XCF registered?

J397 XCF is a 1991 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1991.

Is J397 XCF safe to buy?

The MOT history for J397 XCF shows 27 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J397 XCF 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 J397 XCF. 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.