CarVerify

Free Car Check

M20 UNG

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1839cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Jan 2027
Tests23 (16 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate69.6%

Mileage

115,128 mi
Last recorded115,128 miles
Recorded on30 Jan 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationM20 UNG
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
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

16 pass 7 fail
Pass 30 Jan 2026 115,128 miles

Vehicle underbody covered in underseal

Pass 30 May 2024 111,505 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2022 111,447 miles

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

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

Fail 31 Oct 2022 111,400 miles

Emissions not tested lack of fuel (8.2.1.2 (d))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

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

Pass 11 Jan 2021 111,144 miles

Nearside Rear Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Fail 29 Dec 2020 111,128 miles

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

Nearside Rear Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 8 Aug 2018 101,979 miles

Nearside Rear tyre scrubbing inner edge

Offside Rear tyre scrubbed bold inner edge not yet into centre 3/4 but advise to get changed

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

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

Undertray not fully secure (8.1.1 (b) (i))

corrosion brake pipes on ends

corrosion suspension arms and subframes

front antiroll links rubbers perished

Fail 6 Aug 2018 101,979 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear tyre scrubbing inner edge

Offside Rear tyre scrubbed bold inner edge not yet into centre 3/4 but advise to get changed

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

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

Undertray not fully secure (8.1.1 (b) (i))

corrosion brake pipes on ends

corrosion suspension arms and subframes

front antiroll links rubbers perished

Pass 17 Jul 2017 94,513 miles

Front Brake pipe slightly corroded to rear (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Pass 20 Jul 2016 91,228 miles

slight corrosion underside on suspension arms all round

Pass 24 Jul 2015 89,732 miles

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

Fail 24 Jul 2015 89,732 miles

Centre Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

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

Offside Windscreen wiper not operating over a large enough area to give an adequate view (8.2.1c)

Pass 24 Jul 2014 88,101 miles

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

Fail 24 Jul 2014 88,098 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

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

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

Pass 26 Jul 2013 86,557 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 17 Jul 2013 86,557 miles

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

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 26 Jul 2011 81,066 miles
Fail 25 Jul 2011 81,061 miles

Nearside Inner Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Inner Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Pass 18 Aug 2010 74,612 miles
Pass 4 Aug 2009 70,956 miles

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

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Pass 31 Jul 2008 68,684 miles

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

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

Pass 27 Jul 2007 67,285 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Pass 2 Aug 2006 64,836 miles

corrosion to both outer sills

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

M20 UNG is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.6%.

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 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 M20 UNG, 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 M20 UNG?

You can check the full history of M20 UNG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M20 UNG registered?

M20 UNG is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is M20 UNG safe to buy?

The MOT history for M20 UNG shows 23 tests with a 69.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M20 UNG 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 M20 UNG. 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.