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P48 WGJ

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Sep 2026
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

179,915 mi
Last recorded179,915 miles
Recorded on28 Sep 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

RegistrationP48 WGJ
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlack
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 5 fail
Pass 28 Sep 2025 179,915 miles

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

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Pass 2 Apr 2024 166,467 miles

Brake pedal wearing smooth (1.1.2 (c))

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

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

Offside Front Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Pass 19 Jan 2023 152,737 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension rod pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

rust patches on both front chassis lergs

surface rust all over nearside inner sill

surface rust offside rear inner sill

Pass 21 Jan 2022 147,564 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2020 142,662 miles

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

Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced nearside and offside inner sills (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 17 Jun 2019 137,983 miles

Offside Front Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Fail 17 Jun 2019 137,983 miles

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Pass 29 Jun 2018 126,847 miles
Fail 16 Jun 2018 126,635 miles

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

Pass 10 Jun 2017 122,510 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2016 118,530 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2015 114,369 miles

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

Fail 7 Jun 2014 113,479 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Jun 2014 113,479 miles

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

Pass 18 Jun 2013 111,783 miles

Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Oil leak

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

various suspension components including front and rear subframes slightly corroded but only surface corrosion and none considered excessive

Fail 8 Jun 2013 111,696 miles

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

Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Oil leak

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

various suspension components including front and rear subframes slightly corroded but only surface corrosion and none considered excessive

Pass 11 Jun 2012 109,767 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Fail 11 Jun 2012 109,767 miles

Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

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

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

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 10 Jun 2011 107,924 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2010 104,208 miles

slight oil leak

underside of the vehicle showing signs of corrosion

Pass 22 Jun 2009 100,993 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Jun 2008 96,585 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2007 92,361 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2006 76,714 miles

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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P48 WGJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

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 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 P48 WGJ, 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 P48 WGJ?

You can check the full history of P48 WGJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P48 WGJ registered?

P48 WGJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 14 May 1997.

Is P48 WGJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for P48 WGJ shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P48 WGJ 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 P48 WGJ. 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.