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P491 BCN

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Nov 2026
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

26,832 mi
Last recorded26,832 miles
Recorded on17 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP491 BCN
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
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

18 pass 8 fail
Pass 17 Nov 2025 26,832 miles

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

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Underside of vehicle heavily under sealed

Fail 17 Nov 2025 26,832 miles

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

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

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

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Underside of vehicle heavily under sealed

Pass 19 Nov 2024 26,441 miles

Front and rear suspension assembles corroded

Offside Rear Inner Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced inner sill small hole. (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 7 Nov 2024 26,437 miles

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Front and rear suspension assembles corroded

Pass 14 Nov 2023 26,061 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2022 25,501 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2021 24,204 miles

Vehicle underside and components showing signs of corrosion

Fail 1 Oct 2021 24,157 miles

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced Outer sill heavily corroded towards rear (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Wing corroded

Pass 4 Sep 2020 23,837 miles
Pass 8 Jun 2019 23,377 miles

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

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

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

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

rear tyre inner sidewalls split

Pass 18 May 2018 22,817 miles

Nearside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Pass 5 May 2017 21,683 miles

Nearside Front Inner Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Inner Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Pass 14 May 2016 20,081 miles

Nearside Front Inner Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Nearside Rear Inner Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Pass 25 Apr 2015 19,268 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Fail 10 Apr 2015 19,259 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Oil leak

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

Pass 12 Dec 2013 18,044 miles

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Fail 12 Dec 2013 18,044 miles

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Fail 4 Dec 2013 18,020 miles

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

rear parking (secondary) brakes imbalanced (3.7.B.6b)

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 29 Nov 2012 17,560 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Nearside rear parking brake slightly low effort

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Fail 29 Nov 2012 17,555 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Nearside rear parking brake slightly low effort

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Pass 25 Nov 2011 16,643 miles
Fail 25 Nov 2011 16,643 miles

Offside Front coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 13 Nov 2010 16,632 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2008 16,611 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2007 16,499 miles

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 5 Apr 2006 15,299 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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P491 BCN is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

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 P491 BCN, 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 P491 BCN?

You can check the full history of P491 BCN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P491 BCN registered?

P491 BCN is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 27 March 1997.

Is P491 BCN safe to buy?

The MOT history for P491 BCN shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P491 BCN 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 P491 BCN. 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.