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J538 HTR

1991 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Nov 2026
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

74,439 mi
Last recorded74,439 miles
Recorded on30 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

RegistrationJ538 HTR
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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 30 Oct 2025 74,439 miles

Brake fluid appears contaminated

Nearside Front Tyre more than ten years old - dated 2008

Nearside Rear Tyre more than ten years old - dated 2006

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged Wear on inner edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Tyre more than ten years old - dated 2008

Offside Rear Upper Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Underside body and suspension components corroded at usual places for this type and age of vehicle

Pass 29 Oct 2024 72,767 miles

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

Pass 3 Nov 2023 72,328 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Fail 20 Oct 2023 72,319 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 18 Oct 2022 72,183 miles

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

Fail 18 Oct 2022 72,181 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords Inner sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Valve stem seriously damaged (5.2.3 (j)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 20 Oct 2021 72,001 miles

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

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

Pass 22 Oct 2020 71,838 miles
Pass 22 Oct 2019 71,381 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 23 Oct 2018 71,152 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 22 Oct 2018 71,152 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced outer sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 10 Oct 2017 70,994 miles

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

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

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

Pass 11 Oct 2016 70,668 miles

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

Pass 15 Oct 2015 70,097 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2014 69,757 miles

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

Fail 14 Oct 2014 69,754 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 18 Oct 2013 69,264 miles
Fail 14 Oct 2013 69,249 miles

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

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b)

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

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

Pass 2 Aug 2012 67,740 miles

Exhaust noisy (7.1.4)

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

Pass 13 Jul 2011 66,137 miles
Pass 2 Aug 2010 65,618 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2009 64,856 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2008 63,696 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2007 61,217 miles
Pass 28 Nov 2006 58,937 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2005 54,251 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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J538 HTR is a 1991 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 J538 HTR, 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 J538 HTR?

You can check the full history of J538 HTR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J538 HTR registered?

J538 HTR is a 1991 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1991.

Is J538 HTR safe to buy?

The MOT history for J538 HTR shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J538 HTR 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 J538 HTR. 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.