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L496 XHW

1998 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 May 2027
Tests29 (19 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate65.5%

Mileage

142,673 mi
Last recorded142,673 miles
Recorded on5 May 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

RegistrationL496 XHW
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1998
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,998cc

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 10 fail
Pass 5 May 2026 142,673 miles

Front Brake hose slightly chafed nearside and offside (1.1.12 (b) (i))

Pass 13 May 2025 141,250 miles

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

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

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

Pass 16 Apr 2024 140,506 miles

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

Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread front and rear (0.1 (b))

Pass 3 May 2023 139,682 miles

Offside chassis leg has been repaired previously

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

chips in windscreen

Pass 27 Apr 2022 137,892 miles

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

chips in windscreen

long travel on park brake

Pass 6 May 2021 136,321 miles

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

Rear nearside and offside tyre treads wearing on inner edges

Fail 6 May 2021 136,321 miles

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

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

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

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush likely to become detached has become detached (5.3.4 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear 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 nearside and offside tyre treads wearing on inner edges

Fail 3 Oct 2020 136,303 miles

Nearside Rear Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting outer sill corroded and holed (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

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

nearside and offside tyres worn on inner edges

offside outer sill surface corrosion

Pass 24 Sep 2019 136,008 miles

Nearside Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Fail 19 Sep 2019 135,989 miles

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 carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 25 Sep 2018 135,816 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

both rear sills coroding

under side of vehical heaverly under sealed

Fail 21 Sep 2018 135,799 miles

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

Offside Front Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced chalked (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

both rear sills coroding

some travel at hand brake

under side of vehical heaverly under sealed

Pass 12 Sep 2017 135,433 miles
Fail 12 Sep 2017 135,433 miles

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)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 19 Sep 2016 134,549 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2015 132,185 miles
Pass 17 Sep 2014 127,941 miles
Fail 17 Sep 2014 127,939 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage fractured (2.4.G.1)

Pass 24 Sep 2013 126,824 miles
Fail 24 Sep 2013 126,824 miles

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

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

Fail 4 Sep 2013 126,811 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Nearside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

Pass 29 Aug 2012 126,337 miles

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring worn (2.4.C.1b)

Surface corrosion evident on nearside rear sill panel

Fail 28 Aug 2012 126,337 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Offside Rear Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Surface corrosion evident on nearside rear sill panel

Pass 20 Apr 2011 119,384 miles

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 8 Feb 2010 113,033 miles
Pass 9 Feb 2009 105,481 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Pass 28 Jan 2008 97,888 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2006 87,649 miles
Fail 9 Nov 2006 87,649 miles

Offside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

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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L496 XHW is a 1998 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.5%.

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 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 L496 XHW, 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 L496 XHW?

You can check the full history of L496 XHW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L496 XHW registered?

L496 XHW is a 1998 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 July 1998.

Is L496 XHW safe to buy?

The MOT history for L496 XHW shows 29 tests with a 65.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L496 XHW 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 L496 XHW. 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.