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P542 EST

1996 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires20 Jul 2026
Tests31 (20 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate64.5%

Mileage

57,104 mi
Last recorded57,104 miles
Recorded on21 Jul 2025
Typical for 1996 Mazda MX-586,097 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

RegistrationP542 EST
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1996
ColourRed
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

20 pass 11 fail
Pass 21 Jul 2025 57,104 miles

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

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

Pass 20 Jul 2024 54,933 miles
Pass 24 May 2023 54,031 miles
Pass 5 May 2022 51,768 miles
Pass 12 May 2021 49,168 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2020 47,743 miles

exhaust system corroded

offside rear inner wheel arch corroded

parking brake lever has slight travel

Pass 22 May 2019 46,130 miles
Fail 16 May 2019 46,064 miles

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 18 May 2018 44,370 miles
Fail 30 Apr 2018 44,187 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 0.84 (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive 1.96% (7.3.D.4)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 8 May 2017 43,325 miles
Fail 8 May 2017 43,325 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Pass 9 May 2016 42,825 miles

Nearside Body has slight corrosion sill (6.1.B.2)

Pass 14 May 2015 42,558 miles

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

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

Fail 13 May 2015 42,558 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

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

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

Pass 30 Apr 2014 42,218 miles

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

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

underside components corroded

Fail 30 Apr 2014 42,217 miles

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

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

underside components corroded

Pass 2 May 2013 41,951 miles

Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

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

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

Fail 30 Apr 2013 41,945 miles

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

Macpherson strut has slight movement at the upper attachment (2.5.A.1c)

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

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

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 24 Apr 2012 41,582 miles

all tyres perished and spliting(185/60/14 h)

miss fire from engine

Fail 24 Apr 2012 41,582 miles

Front front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

all tyres perished and spliting(185/60/14 h)

miss fire from engine

Pass 3 May 2011 41,454 miles
Fail 26 Apr 2011 41,292 miles

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

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

Fail 10 May 2010 40,804 miles

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

Pass 10 May 2010 40,804 miles
Fail 28 Apr 2009 40,263 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 28 Apr 2009 40,263 miles
Pass 9 May 2008 39,050 miles

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

Pass 15 May 2007 37,859 miles
Pass 18 May 2006 37,065 miles

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Fail 18 May 2006 37,065 miles

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

exhaust system corroded

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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P542 EST is a 1996 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 31 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64.5%.

Across all 1996 Mazda MX-5 models, the average MOT pass rate is 69.8% with a typical mileage of 86,097 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 P542 EST, 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 30 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 P542 EST?

You can check the full history of P542 EST by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P542 EST registered?

P542 EST is a 1996 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 7 December 1996.

Is P542 EST safe to buy?

The MOT history for P542 EST shows 31 tests with a 64.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P542 EST 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 P542 EST. 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.