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L3 LSB

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Jul 2027
Tests22 (18 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81.8%

Mileage

85,409 mi
Last recorded85,409 miles
Recorded on15 Jul 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 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

RegistrationL3 LSB
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
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

18 pass 4 fail
Pass 15 Jul 2026 85,409 miles

rear suspension components corroded

Fail 14 Jul 2026 85,406 miles

Emissions unable to be completed center pipe excessive leaks (8.2.1.2 (d))

rear suspension components corroded

Pass 9 Jul 2025 79,012 miles

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Jul 2024 75,151 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Fail 11 Jul 2024 75,147 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 10 May 2022 74,838 miles

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

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened x2 (5.3.3 (b) (i))

undersealed

Pass 22 May 2020 74,517 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2018 74,400 miles
Fail 25 Jun 2018 74,395 miles

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

Pass 16 Jun 2017 74,106 miles
Pass 11 Mar 2016 73,730 miles

Offside Lower Body has slight corrosion outer sill (6.1.B.2)

Pass 18 Mar 2015 73,190 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

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

Pass 16 Mar 2013 72,623 miles

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

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Rear Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

nearside rear tyre wearing on inside edge slightly

Fail 16 Mar 2013 72,623 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

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

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Rear Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

nearside rear tyre wearing on inside edge slightly

Pass 20 Jul 2012 69,962 miles

Nail in nearside front tyre

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

Pass 26 Jul 2011 65,992 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2010 62,079 miles
Pass 17 Jul 2009 58,548 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2008 54,912 miles
Pass 16 Jul 2007 50,147 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2006 46,335 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2005 42,078 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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L3 LSB is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81.8%.

Across all 1997 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 70.7% with a typical mileage of 85,711 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 L3 LSB, 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 29 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 L3 LSB?

You can check the full history of L3 LSB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L3 LSB registered?

L3 LSB is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 12 August 1997.

Is L3 LSB safe to buy?

The MOT history for L3 LSB shows 22 tests with a 81.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L3 LSB 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 L3 LSB. 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.