CarVerify

Free Car Check

P102 NKL

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1598cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires27 May 2026
Tests30 (19 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate63.3%

Mileage

158,173 mi
Last recorded158,173 miles
Recorded on28 May 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationP102 NKL
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,598cc

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 11 fail
Pass 28 May 2025 158,173 miles

Clutch pedal anti slip missing

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Inner Sill/ wheel arch holed and corroded

Nearside Rear Position lamp light intensity obviously reduced Dim (4.2.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Sill holed and corroded

Offside Rear Position lamp light intensity obviously reduced Dim (4.2.3 (a) (i))

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

Fail 28 May 2025 158,173 miles

Clutch pedal anti slip missing

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Inner Sill/ wheel arch holed and corroded

Nearside Rear Position lamp light intensity obviously reduced Dim (4.2.3 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Sill holed and corroded

Offside Rear Position lamp light intensity obviously reduced Dim (4.2.3 (a) (i))

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

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 9 Jul 2024 155,261 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive Inner sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 8 Jun 2023 151,416 miles
Fail 26 May 2023 151,391 miles

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Pass 27 May 2022 150,671 miles

Front wiper blades in poor condishion

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear inner arch starting to corrode

Pass 1 Jun 2021 150,383 miles
Pass 10 May 2019 150,133 miles

Age related surface corrosion to suspension arms/subframes

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 24 May 2018 149,697 miles

Offside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

central rear view mirror missing - both door mirrors fitted.

Pass 26 May 2017 149,128 miles
Fail 12 May 2017 149,126 miles

Nearside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 16 May 2016 148,693 miles

Offside Seat belt damaged but not affecting the operation of the belt (5.2.2a)

Pass 19 May 2015 147,844 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2014 147,519 miles

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

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

centre stop light not working

Fail 8 Feb 2014 146,619 miles

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

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 3 Aug 2013 144,036 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 10 Aug 2012 136,103 miles

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Fail 1 Aug 2012 136,103 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

centre stop lamp not working

Pass 1 Aug 2011 126,046 miles

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

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

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

Pass 6 Aug 2010 117,007 miles

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

front tyre tread getting low

offside rear brake pads getting low

Fail 6 Aug 2010 117,007 miles

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

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

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

front tyre tread getting low

offside rear brake pads getting low

Fail 1 Sep 2009 101,085 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 1 Sep 2009 101,085 miles
Pass 9 Mar 2009 97,708 miles

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

SUN VISOR OVER DRIVERS VIEW INSECURE

Fail 6 Mar 2009 97,708 miles

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

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

Offside Front Brake hose twisted (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

SUN VISOR OVER DRIVERS VIEW INSECURE

Pass 6 Mar 2008 93,525 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2007 88,734 miles
Fail 7 Mar 2007 88,734 miles

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

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

Oil leak

Pass 8 Feb 2006 83,670 miles
Fail 8 Feb 2006 83,670 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

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

P102 NKL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.3%.

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 P102 NKL, 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 P102 NKL?

You can check the full history of P102 NKL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P102 NKL registered?

P102 NKL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P102 NKL safe to buy?

The MOT history for P102 NKL shows 30 tests with a 63.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P102 NKL 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 P102 NKL. 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.