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J966 JOU

1998 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jul 2027
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

130,326 mi
Last recorded130,326 miles
Recorded on22 Jun 2026
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

RegistrationJ966 JOU
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

20 pass 7 fail
Pass 22 Jun 2026 130,326 miles

Front & rear suspension components corroding

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Low effort recorded at parking brake

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

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 17 Jul 2025 126,582 miles

Front & rear suspension linkage & arms corroding

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Rear of sill panel starting to corrode

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

Rear Position lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp N/S & O/S (4.2.3 (c))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Fail 17 Jul 2025 126,582 miles

Front & rear suspension linkage & arms corroding

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm insecurely attached Rear bolt loose (5.3.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear of sill panel starting to corrode

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

Rear Position lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp N/S & O/S (4.2.3 (c))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Pass 9 Jul 2024 124,224 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Inner and outer sills corroding

Nearside Rear Position lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))

Nearside and Offside front and rear chassis rails corroding

Offside Rear Position lamp slightly affected by the operation of another lamp (4.2.3 (c))

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

Various front and rear steering, braking and suspension components are corroding

Pass 13 Jul 2023 121,327 miles

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

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

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

Pass 11 Jul 2022 120,018 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2022 120,003 miles

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp does not emit a steady red light (4.5.4 (a))

Pass 30 Jun 2021 119,651 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2020 119,428 miles
Pass 30 May 2019 118,983 miles

Rear brake pads low

Fail 21 May 2019 118,975 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Rear brake pads low

Pass 22 May 2018 118,457 miles

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Fail 22 May 2018 118,457 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 23 May 2017 117,742 miles

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

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Offside Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Pass 22 May 2016 116,686 miles
Fail 17 May 2015 50,533 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 17 May 2015 115,506 miles
Pass 18 May 2014 114,780 miles
Pass 19 May 2013 114,066 miles
Pass 20 May 2012 113,115 miles

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

Pass 15 May 2011 112,077 miles
Fail 9 May 2010 110,569 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 9 May 2010 110,569 miles
Pass 1 May 2009 107,137 miles
Pass 9 May 2008 99,027 miles
Fail 14 May 2007 90,544 miles

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 14 May 2007 90,544 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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J966 JOU is a 1998 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

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 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 J966 JOU, 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 J966 JOU?

You can check the full history of J966 JOU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J966 JOU registered?

J966 JOU is a 1998 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 11 September 1998.

Is J966 JOU safe to buy?

The MOT history for J966 JOU shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J966 JOU 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 J966 JOU. 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.