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M123 XMX

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Nov 2026
Tests18 (13 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate72.2%

Mileage

133,855 mi
Last recorded133,855 miles
Recorded on6 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
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Finance
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationM123 XMX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

13 pass 5 fail
Pass 6 Nov 2025 133,855 miles

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

all suspension arms have heavy surface corrosion

Fail 31 Oct 2025 133,854 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer sill, inner sill, inner structure (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front floor to sill corroded

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

all suspension arms have heavy surface corrosion

Pass 9 Aug 2023 133,850 miles

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

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

Coil spring corroded front & rear (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

n\s rear light lens damaged o\s rear faded

underbody corroded / suspension components corroded / arms

Pass 3 Aug 2021 132,963 miles

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

Coil spring corroded front and rear (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

all suspension components corroding including suspension arms

n\s rear light lense damaged o\s rear faded

Fail 22 Jul 2021 132,962 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Coil spring corroded front and rear (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

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

all suspension components corroding including suspension arms

n\s rear light lense damaged o\s rear faded

Pass 21 Jul 2020 131,843 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all [undersilled] (1.1.11 (c))

Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement o\s and n\s (5.3.4 (a) (i))

all suspension components corroded

floor and chassis weak and corroding all over

Fail 9 Jul 2020 131,843 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer to inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer to inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Rear Exhaust silencer insecure (8.1.1 (b) (i))

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all [undersilled] (1.1.11 (c))

Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement o\s and n\s (5.3.4 (a) (i))

all suspension components corroded

floor and chassis weak and corroding all over

Pass 22 Aug 2019 130,440 miles

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

Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive floor / inner sills and rear inner wheel-arch area on both sides (7.1.1 (a) (i))

surface corrosion [heavy in some areas ] on rear sub-frame and all suspension components

various rubber boots and bushes both front and rear deteriorated

Pass 31 Aug 2018 129,368 miles

All brake pipes covered in paint and grease

Corrosion to underside of vehicle and components

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

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

Pass 14 Nov 2016 127,167 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2012 126,897 miles

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

n/s/f tyre wearing on the outer edge

Fail 22 Oct 2012 126,897 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

n/s/f tyre wearing on the outer edge

o/s/r tyre has a cut close to the cords

Pass 30 Aug 2011 121,754 miles

o/s & n/s rear sills excessivly corroded

Fail 7 May 2010 113,566 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

bottom of both rear wings corroded

Pass 7 May 2010 113,566 miles

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

bottom of both rear wings corroded

Pass 10 Nov 2008 93,696 miles
Pass 14 Nov 2006 76,216 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

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

corroding underside

Pass 17 Aug 2005 72,280 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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M123 XMX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.2%.

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 M123 XMX, 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 M123 XMX?

You can check the full history of M123 XMX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M123 XMX registered?

M123 XMX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is M123 XMX safe to buy?

The MOT history for M123 XMX shows 18 tests with a 72.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M123 XMX 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 M123 XMX. 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.