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P121 AFV

1997 Mazda MX-5

White Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires15 Jul 2026
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

119,728 mi
Last recorded119,728 miles
Recorded on16 Jul 2025
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP121 AFV
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourWhite
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

17 pass 7 fail
Pass 16 Jul 2025 119,728 miles

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Front age related corrosion to underside of vehicle, including lower arms. Heavily undersealed in places not allowing full inspection

Fail 3 Jul 2024 119,702 miles

Nearside Front Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Rear fog lamp obviously incorrectly positioned (4.5.4 (a))

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

Nearside Front Lower Coolant leak Hose ()

Offside Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 23 May 2023 119,182 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2022 117,183 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2021 114,217 miles
Fail 17 Mar 2021 114,213 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 25 Mar 2020 111,745 miles
Fail 25 Mar 2020 111,740 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 20 Mar 2019 108,328 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2018 105,141 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2017 101,891 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2016 99,121 miles
Pass 22 Apr 2015 96,255 miles

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

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

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

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

o/s/f tyre cracking in tread

Pass 12 Apr 2014 92,043 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2013 88,567 miles
Fail 19 Apr 2013 88,566 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

Pass 10 Dec 2009 83,006 miles
Fail 9 Dec 2009 83,006 miles

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

Pass 18 Nov 2008 78,937 miles
Fail 7 Nov 2008 78,937 miles

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

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

Pass 18 Oct 2007 75,527 miles

Oil leak

OFFSIDE REAR TYRE SIDE WALLS DAMAGED

Fail 18 Oct 2007 75,527 miles

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a) DANGEROUS

Oil leak

OFFSIDE REAR TYRE SIDE WALLS DAMAGED

Pass 20 Oct 2006 68,657 miles

exhaust heat shield mounting brackets snapped and heat shield rattling

offside rear tyre side walls damaged

oil leak

Pass 20 Oct 2005 61,803 miles

exhaust heat shield mounting brackets snapped and heat shield rattling

oil leak on engine

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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P121 AFV is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in White with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

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 P121 AFV, 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 P121 AFV?

You can check the full history of P121 AFV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P121 AFV registered?

P121 AFV is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 14 May 1997.

Is P121 AFV safe to buy?

The MOT history for P121 AFV shows 24 tests with a 70.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P121 AFV 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 P121 AFV. 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.