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P502 SPW

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Feb 2027
Tests23 (20 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87%

Mileage

55,340 mi
Last recorded55,340 miles
Recorded on6 Feb 2026
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
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationP502 SPW
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

20 pass 3 fail
Pass 6 Feb 2026 55,340 miles

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

nearside and offside rear outer sills corroded

Fail 5 Feb 2026 55,340 miles

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

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

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

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

nearside and offside rear outer sills corroded

Pass 4 Feb 2025 54,929 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2024 54,723 miles

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

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

Pass 10 Jan 2023 54,424 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2022 54,271 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 8 Jan 2021 54,073 miles

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

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

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

Pass 9 May 2019 53,873 miles

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

Pass 9 May 2018 53,471 miles

handbrake lever slight travel

nearside + offside front brake disc surface corrosion

nearside + offside rear brake pads slightly low

rear number plate slightly deteriorated

Pass 10 May 2017 53,233 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

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

rear number plate slightly deteriorated

Pass 11 May 2016 53,058 miles

Nearside Front Inner brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened worn/corroded (3.5.1i)

Offside Front Inner brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened worn/corroded (3.5.1i)

Pass 14 May 2015 52,629 miles
Pass 12 May 2014 51,412 miles
Pass 2 May 2013 50,348 miles
Fail 2 May 2013 50,348 miles

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 10 May 2012 49,485 miles
Pass 12 May 2011 49,104 miles
Pass 14 May 2010 48,156 miles
Pass 13 May 2009 47,621 miles
Pass 13 May 2008 47,456 miles
Pass 11 May 2007 47,119 miles
Fail 8 May 2006 46,201 miles

Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

handbrake requires adjustment

surface rust on rear brake discs

Pass 8 May 2006 46,201 miles

handbrake requires adjustment

surface rust on rear brake discs

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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P502 SPW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87%.

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 P502 SPW, 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 P502 SPW?

You can check the full history of P502 SPW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P502 SPW registered?

P502 SPW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 16 May 1997.

Is P502 SPW safe to buy?

The MOT history for P502 SPW shows 23 tests with a 87% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P502 SPW 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 P502 SPW. 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.