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P281 OKP

1997 Mazda MX-5

Blue Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires5 Jul 2026
Tests27 (17 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate63%

Mileage

164,369 mi
Last recorded164,369 miles
Recorded on26 Jun 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationP281 OKP
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

17 pass 10 fail
Pass 26 Jun 2025 164,369 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

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

surface corrosion to front and rear suspension components

Fail 18 Jun 2025 164,337 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 manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Body panel corroded and likely to cause injury (6.2.1 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, but not excessively (1.1.14 (a) (i))

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

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

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

surface corrosion to front and rear suspension components

Pass 21 Jun 2024 157,731 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Nearside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 30 Jun 2023 152,987 miles

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Fail 30 Jun 2023 152,987 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Pass 22 Jun 2022 147,635 miles

Nearside Front Nail in tyre ()

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

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

Pass 11 Jun 2021 142,193 miles

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

Pass 6 Jul 2020 140,054 miles

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

Pass 10 May 2019 123,047 miles
Fail 10 May 2019 123,047 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 16 May 2018 117,556 miles
Fail 16 May 2018 117,555 miles

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

Offside Front Mechanical brake component locking device insecure hose fixing clip missing (3.5.1l)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Fail 8 May 2018 117,210 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 17 May 2017 97,818 miles
Fail 8 May 2017 97,210 miles

Fuel cap/sealing device sealing washer deteriorated (7.2.4c)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Pass 29 Apr 2016 83,851 miles

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

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

Pass 7 May 2015 77,063 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 19 May 2014 72,723 miles
Pass 8 May 2013 72,331 miles
Fail 8 May 2013 72,330 miles

Nearside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Fail 2 May 2012 68,624 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 2 May 2012 68,624 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2011 68,604 miles
Pass 17 Jun 2010 68,591 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2010 68,591 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (1.8)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 16 Aug 2007 63,611 miles
Fail 16 Aug 2007

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

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

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

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

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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P281 OKP is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Blue with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63%.

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 P281 OKP, 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 P281 OKP?

You can check the full history of P281 OKP by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P281 OKP registered?

P281 OKP is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P281 OKP safe to buy?

The MOT history for P281 OKP shows 27 tests with a 63% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P281 OKP 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 P281 OKP. 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.