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M5 SMX

1997 Mazda MX-5

Blue Petrol 1597cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires23 Jul 2027
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

23,055 mi
Last recorded23,055 miles
Recorded on14 Jul 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationM5 SMX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,597cc

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 7 fail
Pass 14 Jul 2026 23,055 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2025 22,831 miles
Pass 24 Jul 2024 22,356 miles

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

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside rear inner arch corroded

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

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

Fail 15 Jul 2024 22,353 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced Inner arch holed (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside rear inner arch corroded

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

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

Pass 17 Jul 2023 22,298 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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))

Pass 20 Jul 2022 22,051 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all four (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge All four (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 20 Jul 2022 22,051 miles

Nearside Front Inner Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced Sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Offside Registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps (4.7.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all four (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge All four (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 24 Mar 2021 21,771 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge inside edge (5.2.3 (e))

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule both (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced underbody/chassis (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 31 Jul 2019 21,634 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge inside edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Fail 31 Jul 2019 21,634 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge inside edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 5 Jun 2018 20,850 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

number plate light 1 of 2 not working

Fail 30 May 2018 20,850 miles

Offside Front Brake hose excessively twisted (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

number plate light 1 of 2 not working

Pass 9 Jun 2017 20,359 miles
Fail 9 Jun 2017 20,359 miles

Front front brake binding both (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

Pass 26 Apr 2016 19,449 miles

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both (3.5.1i)

Pass 31 Mar 2015 18,226 miles

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

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Pass 1 Apr 2014 17,011 miles

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

Fail 1 Apr 2014 17,011 miles

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Pass 15 Jan 2013 14,799 miles
Fail 15 Jan 2013 14,799 miles

Nearside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g) DANGEROUS

Pass 17 Jan 2012 13,034 miles
Pass 8 Sep 2010 11,548 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2009 10,637 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2008 9,893 miles
Pass 30 May 2007 9,769 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2006 9,439 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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M5 SMX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Blue with a 1,597cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

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 M5 SMX, 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 M5 SMX?

You can check the full history of M5 SMX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was M5 SMX registered?

M5 SMX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 September 1997.

Is M5 SMX safe to buy?

The MOT history for M5 SMX shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does M5 SMX 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 M5 SMX. 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.