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J3 SAO

1991 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Oct 2026
Tests20 (19 pass, 1 fail)
Pass rate95%

Mileage

110,102 mi
Last recorded110,102 miles
Recorded on15 Oct 2025
Typical for 1991 Mazda MX-5114,279 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationJ3 SAO
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

19 pass 1 fail
Pass 15 Oct 2025 110,102 miles

Front Power steering pipe/hose has slight seepage (2.1.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Rear outer sill area corroded (end of sill )

Pass 15 Oct 2024 107,618 miles

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

Power steering ram has slight seepage from a joint (2.1.5 (a))

Pass 6 Oct 2023 104,275 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2022 104,198 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2021 104,050 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2020 103,945 miles

Handbrake has only just passed its rbt

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

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

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

Underside of car is very corroded

Pass 24 Jan 2019 103,707 miles

Nearside Front steering gator in poor condition

front anti roll bar bushes in poor condition

hand brake effort just made 17%

under side of vehicle corroded

Fail 24 Jan 2019 103,707 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front steering gator in poor condition

front anti roll bar bushes in poor condition

hand brake effort just made 17%

under side of vehicle corroded

Pass 29 Jan 2018 103,252 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear tyre wearing on the edge

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

underside of vehicle rusty

Pass 16 Jan 2017 102,910 miles

Offside Rear chassiss rail corroded

both bottom ball joint jacket in poor condition

hand brake effort just made 17%

rear tyres wearing low

under side of vehicle corroded

Pass 20 Jan 2016 102,153 miles

Nearside Front lower ball joint jacket in poor condition

brake pipe corrded

fuel pipes corroded

rear handbrake effort just meet legal limit

under side of vehicle corroded

Pass 3 Mar 2015 101,684 miles

Coolant leak

fuel pipes rusting

n/s/r tyre wearing on the inner edge

under side of vehicle rusty

Pass 7 Mar 2014 101,500 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2013 100,750 miles
Pass 17 Jan 2012 100,223 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2011 99,746 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2010 99,019 miles
Pass 18 Dec 2008 98,272 miles

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

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

Pass 26 Nov 2007 97,011 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2006 95,021 miles

n/s streering boot badly cracked

n/s/f lower arm rear bush perished

n/s/r handbrake low effort

nut missing of down pipe

o/s streering rack slight play

slave cylinder wet

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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J3 SAO is a 1991 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 95%.

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 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 J3 SAO, 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 J3 SAO?

You can check the full history of J3 SAO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J3 SAO registered?

J3 SAO is a 1991 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 28 August 1991.

Is J3 SAO safe to buy?

The MOT history for J3 SAO shows 20 tests with a 95% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J3 SAO 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 J3 SAO. 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.