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J609 ARC

1998 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 Jun 2026
Tests24 (14 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate58.3%

Mileage

192,085 mi
Last recorded192,085 miles
Recorded on21 Jun 2025
Typical for 1998 Mazda MX-586,993 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ609 ARC
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1998
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,598cc

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

14 pass 10 fail
Pass 21 Jun 2025 192,085 miles
Pass 18 Jun 2024 188,625 miles

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

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

Pass 2 Jun 2023 182,857 miles
Pass 31 May 2022 172,652 miles
Fail 31 May 2022 172,652 miles

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 30 Jan 2021 171,638 miles
Pass 17 Jul 2019 161,278 miles
Pass 27 Jul 2018 115,557 miles

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ALL FOUR TYRE CRACKING ()

Fail 27 Jul 2018 115,556 miles

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ALL FOUR TYRE CRACKING ()

Fail 27 Jul 2018 151,556 miles

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

all four tyres cracking on tread

Fail 23 Jul 2018 151,549 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

all four tyres cracking on tread

Pass 1 Aug 2016 151,016 miles
Fail 1 Aug 2016 151,011 miles

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

Rear registration plate has a feature which changes the appearance or legibility of the characters (6.3.4c)

Fail 26 Mar 2015 150,955 miles

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

Pass 26 Mar 2015 150,955 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2011 150,126 miles
Pass 28 May 2010 146,372 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2009 140,767 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2009 140,756 miles

Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a) DANGEROUS

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Fail 27 May 2009 140,738 miles

Front Suspension weakened allowing body or other component to foul a road wheel or would do so if laden (2.4.A.1b)

Nearside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Offside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Rear Suspension weakened allowing body or other component to foul a road wheel or would do so if laden (2.4.A.1b)

Pass 19 Jun 2008 136,492 miles
Fail 17 Jun 2008 136,479 miles

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.A.2a)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

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

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Rear registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height (6.3.4a)

all coil springs have been cut to lower vehicle

parking brake lever has a lot of travel

Pass 2 May 2007 130,807 miles
Fail 26 Apr 2007 130,773 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

Offside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

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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J609 ARC is a 1998 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 58.3%.

Across all 1998 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 71.9% with a typical mileage of 86,993 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 J609 ARC, 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 28 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 J609 ARC?

You can check the full history of J609 ARC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J609 ARC registered?

J609 ARC is a 1998 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 24 March 1998.

Is J609 ARC safe to buy?

The MOT history for J609 ARC shows 24 tests with a 58.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J609 ARC 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 J609 ARC. 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.