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J480 TBW

2005 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1600cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires7 Oct 2026
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

97,675 mi
Last recorded97,675 miles
Recorded on17 Sep 2025
Typical for 2005 Mazda MX-556,278 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ480 TBW
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year2005
ColourBlack
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

19 pass 7 fail
Pass 17 Sep 2025 97,675 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear outer sill corroded to excess

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front inner sill is corroding

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill close to excess (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Offside Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened both sides upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

both rear inner arches corroded to excess

Fail 15 Sep 2025 97,649 miles

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

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

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear outer sill corroded to excess

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front inner sill is corroding

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill close to excess (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Offside Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened both sides upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

both rear inner arches corroded to excess

Pass 8 Oct 2024 97,370 miles
Fail 8 Oct 2024 97,363 miles

Battery insecure and likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Position lamp light intensity significantly reduced (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

Offside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Pass 6 May 2022 92,408 miles

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

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

Fail 28 Apr 2022 92,506 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear fog lamp switch not operating in accordance with the requirements (4.5.3 (a))

Offside Rear Hydraulic brake calliper leaking and braking performance affected (1.1.16 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Pass 25 Feb 2021 90,292 miles
Fail 25 Feb 2021 90,290 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn D bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush excessively worn D bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 27 Feb 2020 88,782 miles
Fail 20 Feb 2020 88,771 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

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

Pass 8 Jun 2018 83,896 miles
Fail 4 Jun 2018 83,894 miles

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

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Lower Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Pass 30 May 2017 81,716 miles

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

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

Pass 27 May 2016 7,838 miles
Pass 1 Jun 2015 75,897 miles
Pass 20 May 2014 72,813 miles

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

Pass 29 May 2013 69,599 miles
Fail 28 May 2013 69,599 miles

Nearside Front Ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Upper Ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 23 May 2012 56,963 miles
Pass 31 May 2011 62,129 miles
Pass 20 May 2010 57,178 miles

Nearside inner track rod end joint cover split/missing

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Suspension joint nearside upper dust cover split/missing

Suspension joint offside upper dust cover split/missing

Pass 15 Dec 2008 48,574 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2008 47,908 miles
Pass 12 May 2007 45,751 miles
Pass 8 May 2006 42,285 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2005 40,470 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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J480 TBW is a 2005 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,600cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

Across all 2005 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 76.7% with a typical mileage of 56,278 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 J480 TBW, 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 21 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 J480 TBW?

You can check the full history of J480 TBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J480 TBW registered?

J480 TBW is a 2005 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 July 2005.

Is J480 TBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for J480 TBW shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J480 TBW 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 J480 TBW. 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.