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P303 FPL

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Jan 2027
Tests23 (15 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate65.2%

Mileage

177,663 mi
Last recorded177,663 miles
Recorded on17 Jan 2026
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

RegistrationP303 FPL
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

15 pass 8 fail
Pass 17 Jan 2026 177,663 miles

Nearside Front Inner Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced floor to sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm modified but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Inner Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security inner sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm modified but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (c) (i))

Fail 17 Jan 2026 177,663 miles

Nearside Front Inner Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced floor to sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm modified but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Inner Vehicle structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security inner sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Offside Front Suspension arm modified but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (c) (i))

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 11 Nov 2024 176,950 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2023 176,314 miles

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

heavily undersealed

Pass 14 Feb 2022 173,305 miles

Nearside Front Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security Floor (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Inner Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security Sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Offside Rear Inner Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security Sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Pass 8 Jan 2021 167,684 miles
Pass 14 Jan 2020 164,509 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2019 154,072 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated x 2 (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 28 Oct 2013 153,012 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2013 153,003 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Lower Ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Lower Ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

front roll bar link arm bushes cracked/perished

rear roll bar link arm bushes cracked/perished

surface corrosion to both rear outer sills

Pass 25 Oct 2012 148,826 miles

Front registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

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

offside front brake binding slightly

Fail 25 Oct 2012 148,825 miles

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Front registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

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

offside front brake binding slightly

Pass 28 Oct 2011 141,805 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 19 Oct 2011 141,638 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 1 Nov 2010 134,281 miles

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

Pass 3 Nov 2009 123,941 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2009 123,921 miles

Nearside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

offside rear outer sill has surface corrosion

Pass 27 Oct 2008 111,195 miles
Fail 27 Oct 2008 111,195 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 25 Oct 2007 101,279 miles
Fail 25 Oct 2007 101,279 miles

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

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

long handbrake travel

offside rear tyre low on edge

p.a.s rack damp

underneath rusty

Fail 23 Aug 2006 96,336 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Aug 2006 96,336 miles

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

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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P303 FPL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.2%.

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 P303 FPL, 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 P303 FPL?

You can check the full history of P303 FPL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P303 FPL registered?

P303 FPL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 19 March 1997.

Is P303 FPL safe to buy?

The MOT history for P303 FPL shows 23 tests with a 65.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P303 FPL 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 P303 FPL. 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.