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L3 SMX

1996 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 May 2027
Tests28 (19 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate67.9%

Mileage

83,766 mi
Last recorded83,766 miles
Recorded on15 Apr 2026
Typical for 1996 Mazda MX-586,097 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 SMX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1996
ColourSilver
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

19 pass 9 fail
Pass 15 Apr 2026 83,766 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all brake pipes covered in grease (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 13 May 2025 80,623 miles

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive all under side heavy under seal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 10 May 2025 80,622 miles

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive all under side heavy under seal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 6 Aug 2024 80,455 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

all underside covered in underseal

Pass 6 Aug 2024 80,455 miles
Pass 16 May 2023 79,815 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

Fail 18 Apr 2023 79,559 miles

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

Pass 14 Apr 2022 76,033 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2021 76,197 miles

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

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear sill corroding

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

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

Offside Rear sill corroding

Fail 6 Apr 2021 75,107 miles

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength chassis (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Nearside Rear sill corroding

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

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

Offside Rear sill corroding

Pass 8 Apr 2019 73,663 miles

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

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

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

Fail 26 Feb 2019 73,465 miles

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

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 19 Feb 2018 71,223 miles
Pass 23 Jan 2017 68,844 miles
Fail 23 Jan 2017 68,844 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)

Fail 22 Aug 2016 66,630 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)

Pass 6 Aug 2015 66,471 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2014 62,935 miles
Fail 14 Jul 2014 62,820 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside rear tyre has a cut on the outer wall

Rear number plate loose but not insecure

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 9 Jul 2013 61,592 miles

Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

slight corrosion to rear sills

Pass 10 Jul 2012 58,039 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2011 53,861 miles
Fail 21 Jul 2011 53,861 miles

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

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)

Pass 2 Jul 2010 46,660 miles
Fail 28 Jun 2010 46,381 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)

Pass 6 Jun 2009 41,034 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 28 Jun 2008 40,614 miles
Pass 28 Apr 2007 39,997 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 SMX is a 1996 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 67.9%.

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 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 L3 SMX, 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 L3 SMX?

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

What year was L3 SMX registered?

L3 SMX is a 1996 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 30 December 1996.

Is L3 SMX safe to buy?

The MOT history for L3 SMX shows 28 tests with a 67.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L3 SMX 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 SMX. 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.