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J481 WAX

2004 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1590cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 May 2027
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

219,952 mi
Last recorded219,952 miles
Recorded on15 May 2026
Typical for 2004 Mazda MX-559,584 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ481 WAX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year2004
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,590cc

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 15 May 2026 219,952 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2025 218,605 miles
Pass 7 May 2024 217,641 miles
Pass 9 May 2023 215,462 miles
Pass 19 May 2022 214,529 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2020 213,921 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

slight oil leak

Pass 27 Aug 2019 209,656 miles

oil leak

Fail 15 Aug 2019 209,656 miles

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has excessive play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

oil leak

Pass 6 Jul 2018 201,817 miles
Fail 30 Jun 2018 201,791 miles

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps (4.7.2 (a))

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

Rear Battery insecure and likely to cause a short circuit (4.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Jul 2017 199,147 miles

Oil leak

coolant fan wiring faulty

transmission fluid leak

Fail 7 Jul 2017 199,138 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir fluid level below minimum level (3.6.G.1b)

Exhaust catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard (7.1.3)

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Oil leak

coolant fan wiring faulty

transmission fluid leak

Pass 15 Jul 2016 192,593 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2015 186,638 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

General under body corrosion

Oil leak

Oil level low

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Pass 20 Jun 2014 181,788 miles

Corrosion to offside front subframe mounting.

Slight binding to offside front brake.

Pass 24 Jun 2013 173,641 miles

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 2 Jul 2012 162,020 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 21 Jun 2012 161,397 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

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

Offside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 16 Jul 2011 154,773 miles
Fail 11 Jul 2011 154,773 miles

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 23 Jun 2010 149,562 miles

engine oil leak

rear spring corroded

Pass 30 Jun 2009 132,713 miles
Fail 26 Jun 2009 132,481 miles

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

Fail 2 Jun 2008 109,888 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 2 Jun 2008 109,888 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 26 Jun 2007 102,754 miles

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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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J481 WAX is a 2004 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,590cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

Across all 2004 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.9% with a typical mileage of 59,584 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 J481 WAX, 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 22 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 J481 WAX?

You can check the full history of J481 WAX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J481 WAX registered?

J481 WAX is a 2004 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 April 2004.

Is J481 WAX safe to buy?

The MOT history for J481 WAX 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 J481 WAX 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 J481 WAX. 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.