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R282 MGC

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Feb 2027
Tests21 (16 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate76.2%

Mileage

54,506 mi
Last recorded54,506 miles
Recorded on20 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

RegistrationR282 MGC
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
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

16 pass 5 fail
Pass 20 Feb 2026 54,506 miles
Pass 2 Jan 2025 53,904 miles

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

Fail 11 Nov 2024 53,885 miles

Electrical wiring insecure and connectors likely to become disconnected (4.11 (a) (ii))

Emissions unable to be completed no cat high co2 aborted missfire at 2500rpm - 3000rpm cuts out on idle (8.2.1.2 (d))

Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

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

Pass 21 Sep 2023 53,307 miles
Pass 2 May 2019 51,587 miles

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 2 May 2019 51,583 miles

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

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle brake hose (5.2.3 (f))

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

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

Rear Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 1 Apr 2019 51,578 miles

Driver's airbag missing (7.1.5 (a))

Front Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Rear Brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Damage to NSF wing

Front Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 20 Mar 2018 46,016 miles
Pass 4 Apr 2017 42,637 miles
Pass 5 Nov 2015 42,487 miles
Pass 23 Oct 2014 42,424 miles
Pass 21 Oct 2013 42,134 miles
Pass 18 Oct 2012 41,977 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2011 41,315 miles

nearside and offside rear and nearside front tyres starting to perish 195/50/15

slight knock from engine on tick over

Fail 1 Nov 2011 41,314 miles

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

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

nearside and offside rear and nearside front tyres starting to perish 195/50/15

slight knock from engine on tick over

Pass 26 Oct 2010 39,540 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

knocking noise from engine on idle

Pass 3 Nov 2009 37,488 miles

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

engine knocking

nearside rear whhel slightly binding

Pass 29 Oct 2008 35,643 miles
Fail 29 Oct 2008 35,643 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Pass 25 Oct 2007 33,832 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2006 31,740 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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R282 MGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.2%.

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 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 R282 MGC, 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 R282 MGC?

You can check the full history of R282 MGC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R282 MGC registered?

R282 MGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 12 November 1997.

Is R282 MGC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R282 MGC shows 21 tests with a 76.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R282 MGC 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 R282 MGC. 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.