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MER 98H

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Apr 2027
Tests23 (20 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87%

Mileage

90,571 mi
Last recorded90,571 miles
Recorded on14 Apr 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

RegistrationMER 98H
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
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

20 pass 3 fail
Pass 14 Apr 2026 90,571 miles
Pass 10 Apr 2025 90,378 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 19 Mar 2024 89,265 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Pass 22 Mar 2023 88,688 miles
Pass 4 Apr 2022 88,608 miles
Fail 1 Apr 2022 88,601 miles

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Pass 6 Apr 2021 88,419 miles

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

Nearside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 15 May 2019 88,214 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

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

Fail 8 Apr 2019 88,213 miles

Offside Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system front to rear (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 29 May 2018 83,884 miles
Pass 17 May 2017 78,166 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Pass 14 Jun 2016 75,668 miles

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement rubber bush cracking and perished (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement rubber bush cracking and perished (2.4.G.2)

Pass 20 Jul 2015 75,038 miles
Fail 13 Jul 2015 75,028 miles

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

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

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

Pass 22 Jul 2014 72,590 miles

Nearside Outer Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Offside Outer Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 22 Jul 2013 70,676 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2012 68,263 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2011 65,278 miles
Pass 19 Jul 2010 62,604 miles
Pass 1 Aug 2009 60,114 miles

both rear outer sills surface corrosion will need attention within twelve mouths

Pass 23 Jun 2008 56,981 miles

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

Pass 5 Jun 2007 53,954 miles

Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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

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

Pass 22 Jun 2006 50,308 miles

Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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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MER 98H is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87%.

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 MER 98H, 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 MER 98H?

You can check the full history of MER 98H by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was MER 98H registered?

MER 98H is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 28 August 1997.

Is MER 98H safe to buy?

The MOT history for MER 98H shows 23 tests with a 87% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does MER 98H 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 MER 98H. 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.