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L5 SMY

1996 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Mar 2027
Tests17 (12 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate70.6%

Mileage

147,170 mi
Last recorded147,170 miles
Recorded on19 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationL5 SMY
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1996
ColourRed
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

12 pass 5 fail
Pass 19 Mar 2026 147,170 miles

Offside Rear quarter panel corroded

underside of vehicle and components corroded

Pass 12 Mar 2025 141,361 miles

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))

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

Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

underside of vehicle and components corroded

Pass 14 Mar 2024 129,552 miles

general corrosion to underside of vehicle and components

Pass 18 Mar 2023 119,059 miles

baffle in rear silencer loose

Fail 18 Mar 2023 119,059 miles

Fluid leak harmful to the environment or a risk to other road users (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

baffle in rear silencer loose

Pass 22 Mar 2022 113,698 miles

Engine misfire detected.

Fluid leak, but not excessive Water pipe dripping from housing or hose. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Rear exhaust box rattle.

Fail 22 Mar 2022 113,698 miles

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

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

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

Rear Registration plate does not conform to the specified requirements (0.1 (d))

Engine misfire detected.

Fluid leak, but not excessive Water pipe dripping from housing or hose. (8.4.1 (a) (i))

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

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

Rear exhaust box rattle.

Pass 18 Mar 2021 110,623 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2017 109,738 miles
Fail 31 Mar 2017 109,738 miles

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded Across the axle (3.6.B.2c)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 4 Nov 2014 109,691 miles

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front Macpherson strut worn but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Offside Front Macpherson strut worn but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Fail 31 Oct 2014 109,690 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a) DANGEROUS

Rear Anti-roll bar slightly distorted (2.4.G.1)

Pass 6 Mar 2009 106,174 miles
Pass 18 Jan 2008 100,120 miles

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 8 Feb 2007 96,211 miles

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

Pass 3 Feb 2006 89,452 miles
Fail 28 Jan 2006 89,452 miles

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

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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L5 SMY is a 1996 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 17 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.6%.

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 L5 SMY, 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 L5 SMY?

You can check the full history of L5 SMY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L5 SMY registered?

L5 SMY is a 1996 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 18 April 1996.

Is L5 SMY safe to buy?

The MOT history for L5 SMY shows 17 tests with a 70.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L5 SMY 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 L5 SMY. 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.