CarVerify

Free Car Check

J80 EPS

1996 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1839cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Mar 2027
Tests22 (17 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate77.3%

Mileage

137,418 mi
Last recorded137,418 miles
Recorded on18 Mar 2026
Typical for 1996 Mazda MX-586,097 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationJ80 EPS
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1996
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,839cc

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

17 pass 5 fail
Pass 18 Mar 2026 137,418 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2024 136,432 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2023 135,613 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2022 133,784 miles
Pass 7 Dec 2020 132,930 miles
Pass 14 Dec 2019 127,752 miles
Fail 21 Nov 2019 127,735 miles

Central Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

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

Parking brake lever defective so that it cannot be satisfactorily operated (1.1.6 (d))

Nearside Rear nail in tyre

both rear tyres worn on edges

Pass 27 Oct 2018 124,524 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2018 124,520 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear fog lamp insecure (4.5.1 (c) (i))

suspension components slight corrosion

suspension components slight corrosion

vehicle structure slight corrosion

Pass 19 Oct 2017 121,056 miles

slight oil leak rear diff

suspension components slight corrosion

vehicle structure slight corrosion

Fail 16 Sep 2017 121,036 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.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 Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

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

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

Corrosion to suspension components

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Oil leak Differential ()

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 16 Sep 2016 114,101 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules All (3.6.B.4e)

Engine & gearbox & rear diff, little oil leaks

Engine cover is fitted on bottom

Exhaust back box is changed to a sporty type

Exhaust kat joint area, little blow

Exhaust system, light rust corrosion

Front & rear suspension components, rust corrosion

Offside Front Tyre tread edges, little low

Fail 14 Sep 2016 114,100 miles

Emissions not tested OVER HEATED DURING FAST IDLE SPEED TEST (7.3.A.1)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm locating pin insecure (2.4.G.3a)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm locating pin locking device not properly locked (2.4.G.3b)

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules All (3.6.B.4e)

Engine & gearbox & rear diff, little oil leaks

Engine cover is fitted on bottom

Exhaust back box is changed to a sporty type

Exhaust kat joint area, little blow

Exhaust system, light rust corrosion

Front & rear suspension components, rust corrosion

Offside Front Tyre tread edges, little low

Pass 8 Sep 2015 109,726 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is distorted but not considered excessive inner sill (2.4.A.3)

Tyre worn close to the legal limit all inner edges (4.1.E.1)

slight oil leak

Pass 29 Aug 2014 102,616 miles
Pass 29 Aug 2013 94,566 miles
Pass 30 May 2012 92,360 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

Pass 5 May 2011 89,828 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 9 Mar 2010 84,302 miles
Pass 15 May 2008 79,701 miles
Fail 28 Apr 2008 79,625 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Pass 6 Mar 2007 77,787 miles

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

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

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

J80 EPS is a 1996 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.3%.

Across all 1996 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.8% with a typical mileage of 86,097 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 J80 EPS, 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 30 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 J80 EPS?

You can check the full history of J80 EPS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J80 EPS registered?

J80 EPS is a 1996 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 24 May 1996.

Is J80 EPS safe to buy?

The MOT history for J80 EPS shows 22 tests with a 77.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J80 EPS 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 J80 EPS. 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.