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P917 XEL

1996 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Feb 2027
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

119,601 mi
Last recorded119,601 miles
Recorded on26 Feb 2026
Typical for 1996 Mazda MX-586,097 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP917 XEL
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1996
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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 26 Feb 2026 119,601 miles

Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush both fronts (5.3.2 (c))

Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated all fronts (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Lower Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced light corrosion to underside ,repairs undersealed (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Lower Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened subframes ,arms , shock absorbers and anti roll (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front chip to windscreen

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

Fail 26 Feb 2026 119,601 miles

Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush both fronts (5.3.2 (c))

Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated all fronts (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Lower Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced light corrosion to underside ,repairs undersealed (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Lower Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened subframes ,arms , shock absorbers and anti roll (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front chip to windscreen

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

Offside Front Lower Shock absorbers likely to become detached fixing not tightened (5.3.2 (a) (ii))

Pass 27 Feb 2025 119,455 miles

Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush both sides (5.3.2 (c))

Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened various suspension items corroded, arms, shock absorbers, springs (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced general underside corrosion, withstood CAT (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 15 May 2024 119,422 miles

Front Lower Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush both sides (5.3.2 (c))

Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated both sides (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced general underside corrosion, withstood CAT (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 19 May 2023 119,111 miles
Fail 17 May 2023 119,097 miles

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

Front Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt both sides (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 21 Dec 2021 118,843 miles

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

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced general underside corrosion, withstood CAT (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 16 Jun 2020 118,723 miles

Exhaust noisy slightly more than std (8.1.1 (a))

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both n/s and o/s inners slightly pitted (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Suspension rod ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated upper and lower (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Lower light corrosion to underside and suspension components,body repairs covered in underseal

Nearside Front slight chip to windscreen zone b

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule several (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Fail 23 Apr 2020 118,716 miles

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

Offside Front Lower Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced hole,inner sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Exhaust noisy slightly more than std (8.1.1 (a))

Front Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both n/s and o/s inners slightly pitted (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Lower light corrosion to underside and suspension components ,body repairs covered in underseal

Nearside Front Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated upper and lower (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Front slight chip to windscreen zone b

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule several (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Pass 6 Sep 2018 116,400 miles

Exhaust noisy (8.1.1 (a))

underside of vehicle has signs of corrosion

Pass 8 Aug 2017 115,778 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 11 Aug 2016 115,060 miles
Fail 11 Aug 2016 115,060 miles

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

Pass 12 Aug 2015 114,435 miles

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

Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 13 Aug 2014 113,656 miles
Fail 12 Aug 2014 113,656 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

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

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

Pass 15 Aug 2013 112,844 miles
Fail 15 Aug 2013 112,844 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 13 Aug 2012 112,576 miles

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

Pass 12 Aug 2011 112,054 miles

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

Pass 11 Aug 2010 111,516 miles

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

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

Pass 10 Aug 2009 110,095 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2008 106,515 miles
Fail 11 Aug 2008 106,515 miles

Nearside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Nearside Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Pass 15 Aug 2007 98,909 miles
Fail 13 Aug 2007 98,909 miles

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

Pass 14 Aug 2006 91,024 miles
Fail 12 Aug 2006 91,024 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 27 Jul 2005 83,010 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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P917 XEL is a 1996 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

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 P917 XEL, 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 P917 XEL?

You can check the full history of P917 XEL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P917 XEL registered?

P917 XEL is a 1996 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 30 August 1996.

Is P917 XEL safe to buy?

The MOT history for P917 XEL shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P917 XEL 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 P917 XEL. 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.