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J734 NLR

1990 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1590cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Feb 2027
Tests20 (14 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate70%

Mileage

214,546 mi
Last recorded214,546 miles
Recorded on14 Feb 2026
Typical for 1990 Mazda MX-5116,196 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationJ734 NLR
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1990
ColourRed
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

14 pass 6 fail
Pass 14 Feb 2026 214,546 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

Pass 15 Feb 2025 211,152 miles

Offside Front Outer Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing sidewall (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 19 Jan 2021 209,474 miles

Offside Headlamp lens slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 6 Feb 2020 208,067 miles

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 8 Sep 2018 207,951 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar insecurely attached Drop link (5.3.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Aug 2017 203,798 miles

Offside Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Rear exhaust pipe fouling bodywork

brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened All four discs (3.5.1i)

Pass 23 Jun 2016 183,680 miles

Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush both (2.4.G.2)

Pass 10 Oct 2014 183,453 miles
Pass 10 Sep 2013 180,620 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

offside front and one rear metal brake pipe are corroded,not excessive enough to fail

some corrosion in lower inner sill panels at rear,both sides of vehicle,not excessive enough to fail

Fail 9 Sep 2013 180,601 miles

Nearside Main beam 'tell-tale' not working (1.7.4c)

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

offside front and one rear metal brake pipe are corroded,not excessive enough to fail

some corrosion in lower inner sill panels at rear,both sides of vehicle,not excessive enough to fail

Fail 15 Apr 2013 180,585 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Electrical wiring inadequately supported (1.9.2a)

Front Direction indicator incorrect colour (1.4.A.2f)

Front Electrical wiring deteriorated and bare wires exposed (1.9.2c)

Front registration plate fitted to the front does not have black characters on a white background (6.3.2a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

Rear Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Rear fog lamp emits a light other than red (1.3.2e)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Rear reflector missing (1.5.1a)

Rear registration plate fitted to the rear does not have black characters on a yellow background (6.3.2b)

Oil leak

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

slight in all four road springs

some corrosion in underside of vehicle,no where excessive enough to fail

Pass 7 Mar 2012 176,818 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

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

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

front indicator lens and rear n/s reflector cracked

windscreen slightly scratched

Fail 6 Mar 2012 176,817 miles

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

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

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

front indicator lens and rear n/s reflector cracked

windscreen slightly scratched

Fail 29 Oct 2010 98,350 miles

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear fog lamp insecure (1.3.2a)

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

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching by more than 10mm within zone 'A' (8.3.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 11 Nov 2009 167,479 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2008 156,438 miles

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

Pass 16 Nov 2007 142,799 miles

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

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

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

Oil leak

Fail 16 Nov 2007 142,799 miles

Front front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 8 Nov 2006 129,559 miles

Nail in offside rear tyre

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

Pass 18 Nov 2005 116,477 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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J734 NLR is a 1990 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,590cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70%.

Across all 1990 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 68.2% with a typical mileage of 116,196 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 J734 NLR, 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 36 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 J734 NLR?

You can check the full history of J734 NLR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J734 NLR registered?

J734 NLR is a 1990 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1990.

Is J734 NLR safe to buy?

The MOT history for J734 NLR shows 20 tests with a 70% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J734 NLR 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 J734 NLR. 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.