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P261 TGU

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires30 Apr 2025
Tests25 (16 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate64%

Mileage

124,956 mi
Last recorded124,956 miles
Recorded on1 May 2024
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationP261 TGU
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

16 pass 9 fail
Pass 1 May 2024 124,956 miles

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

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

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive end of sill /inner arch (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive front floor pan /inner sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed borderline (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Exhaust mounting defective both rubber hangers & near side rear is deteriorating borderline (6.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill /box section /end of sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

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

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

front shocks corroding

front under tray is loose /damaged

Fail 23 Apr 2024 124,956 miles

Battery insecure and likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced inner arch (7.1.1 (a) (i))

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

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

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive end of sill /inner arch (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive front floor pan /inner sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed borderline (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Rear Exhaust mounting defective both rubber hangers & near side rear is deteriorating borderline (6.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill /box section /end of sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

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

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

front shocks corroding

front under tray is loose /damaged

Pass 17 Mar 2023 122,920 miles

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Fail 14 Mar 2023 122,915 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Fail 2 Feb 2023 122,910 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision worn smooth (1.1.2 (c))

Front Registration plate insecure (0.1 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp levelling device inoperative (4.1.5 (a))

Nearside Front Service brake lagging in operation (1.2.1 (d))

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Nearside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush likely to become detached bolts loose (5.3.4 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin pads low & look burnt (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective starting to split at ends (3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 1 Feb 2022 118,107 miles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

off side front seat belt stalk fixings to seat have some play

rear outer sills have had re pairs off side sill is starting to rust around re pair

undertrays are a bit loose

Fail 29 Jan 2022 118,107 miles

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

off side front seat belt stalk fixings to seat have some play

rear outer sills have had re pairs off side sill is starting to rust around re pair

undertrays are a bit loose

Pass 7 Jan 2021 110,351 miles

Central Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened surface rust (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Nearside Rear Exhaust mounting defective rubber sling deteriorated (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 31 Jul 2019 110,041 miles

nearside rear outer sill slight corrosion

Pass 14 Jun 2018 109,970 miles

offside rear outer sill corroded

Fail 14 Jun 2018 109,970 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

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

offside rear outer sill corroded

Pass 7 Jun 2017 109,437 miles
Pass 25 May 2016 106,690 miles
Pass 1 Jun 2015 106,345 miles

Rear outer sills corroded

Pass 21 May 2014 105,866 miles
Pass 13 May 2013 103,381 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Oil leak

Pass 28 Feb 2011 98,548 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Slight play in nearside steering rack arm

Fail 28 Feb 2011 98,548 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Slight play in nearside steering rack arm

Pass 1 Feb 2010 93,475 miles

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

Fail 1 Feb 2010 93,475 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the left (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Fail 23 Feb 2009 88,821 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Lower Steering column universal joint retaining device insecure (2.1.6)

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 23 Feb 2009 88,821 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 29 Feb 2008 81,962 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Pass 14 Oct 2006 74,210 miles
Fail 14 Oct 2006 74,210 miles

Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

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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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

P261 TGU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64%.

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 P261 TGU, 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 P261 TGU?

You can check the full history of P261 TGU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P261 TGU registered?

P261 TGU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 11 July 1997.

Is P261 TGU safe to buy?

The MOT history for P261 TGU shows 25 tests with a 64% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P261 TGU 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 P261 TGU. 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.