CarVerify

Free Car Check

P988 TBV

1996 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires15 Aug 2026
Tests30 (18 pass, 12 fail)
Pass rate60%

Mileage

113,799 mi
Last recorded113,799 miles
Recorded on16 Aug 2025
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £14.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationP988 TBV
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1996
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 12 fail
Pass 16 Aug 2025 113,799 miles

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

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

Fail 23 May 2025 113,790 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced both n/s + o/s chassis front[marked with chalk] (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 4 Jun 2024 113,224 miles
Fail 25 Apr 2024 113,216 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced outer sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced outer sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 19 Apr 2023 112,787 miles

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill corrioded (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

Pass 29 Apr 2022 112,312 miles
Fail 28 Apr 2022 112,312 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Parking (secondary brake) on a single line braking system has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.3.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 30 Mar 2021 110,813 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2021 110,812 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system brake pipe burst (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Service brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.2.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 9 May 2019 106,951 miles

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

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both rear (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 7 May 2019 106,951 miles

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

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

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both rear (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 30 Oct 2017 105,130 miles

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Fail 26 Oct 2017 105,127 miles

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm both front (4.1.E.1)

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Pass 11 Oct 2016 101,267 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2015 96,786 miles

Front position lamp(s) slightly discoloured both front (1.1.A.3e)

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

Fail 22 Oct 2015 96,785 miles

Brake pipe excessively corroded o/s front to rear (3.6.B.2c)

Direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute (1.4.A.2g)

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded to brake hose (3.6.B.2c)

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm both rear (4.1.E.1)

Front position lamp(s) slightly discoloured both front (1.1.A.3e)

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

Pass 13 Oct 2014 93,014 miles
Pass 14 Oct 2013 89,423 miles
Fail 14 Oct 2013 89,423 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 6 Oct 2012 84,388 miles

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

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

nearside front wheel slight bind

offside front tyre starting to crack

Pass 13 Oct 2011 81,383 miles

Rear discs slight worn

Fail 13 Oct 2011 81,383 miles

Fuel cap/sealing device missing (7.2.4a)

Rear discs slight worn

Pass 14 Oct 2010 75,306 miles

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

Fail 12 Oct 2010 75,292 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 14 Oct 2009 68,983 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2008 61,259 miles

brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Fail 1 Sep 2008 61,259 miles

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

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

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

brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 26 May 2007 59,760 miles
Fail 23 May 2007 59,741 miles

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

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

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

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

Pass 24 May 2006 57,618 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

P988 TBV is a 1996 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 30 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60%.

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 P988 TBV, 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 P988 TBV?

You can check the full history of P988 TBV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P988 TBV registered?

P988 TBV is a 1996 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 21 August 1996.

Is P988 TBV safe to buy?

The MOT history for P988 TBV shows 30 tests with a 60% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P988 TBV 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 P988 TBV. 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.