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M397 GAP

1998 Mazda MX-5

Blue Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Sep 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

112,674 mi
Last recorded112,674 miles
Recorded on2 Sep 2025
Typical for 1998 Mazda MX-586,993 mi

Above average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationM397 GAP
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1998
ColourBlue
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 8 fail
Pass 2 Sep 2025 112,674 miles
Pass 28 Aug 2024 108,088 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2024 108,088 miles

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

Pass 31 Aug 2023 103,270 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2022 102,043 miles
Pass 26 Aug 2021 101,479 miles

Brake drum worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened advise front and rear disks and pads (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge all 4 low (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 26 Aug 2021 101,479 miles

Brake drum worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened advise front and rear disks and pads (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge all 4 low (5.2.3 (e))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Pass 1 Jul 2019 100,517 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Fail 1 Jul 2019 100,517 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 10 Jul 2018 98,215 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2017 96,924 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2016 88,030 miles

Front registration plate faded but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 11 Jul 2016 88,030 miles

Front registration plate faded but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 3 Jul 2015 82,353 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2014 77,868 miles
Fail 9 Jul 2013 73,641 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 9 Jul 2013 73,641 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 3 Jul 2012 70,547 miles

Coolant leak

Oil leak

Pass 27 Jun 2011 64,733 miles

Nearside Front Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Offside Front Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Fail 20 Jun 2011 64,733 miles

Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Front Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

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

Offside Front Lower Shock absorber has a slightly worn bush (2.7.4)

Pass 9 Jul 2010 58,746 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2009 53,251 miles
Fail 13 Jul 2009 53,250 miles

Centre Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 11 Jul 2008 47,451 miles
Fail 11 Jul 2008 47,450 miles

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

Pass 9 Jul 2007 40,284 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

all pads worn

Pass 11 Jul 2006 36,895 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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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M397 GAP is a 1998 Mazda MX-5 in Blue with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 M397 GAP, 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 M397 GAP?

You can check the full history of M397 GAP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M397 GAP registered?

M397 GAP is a 1998 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 16 July 1998.

Is M397 GAP safe to buy?

The MOT history for M397 GAP shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M397 GAP 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 M397 GAP. 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.