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R388 ABE

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Jul 2027
Tests29 (21 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate72.4%

Mileage

97,338 mi
Last recorded97,338 miles
Recorded on27 Jul 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 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

RegistrationR388 ABE
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
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

21 pass 8 fail
Pass 27 Jul 2026 97,338 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting repair covered in underseal (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar mounting modified but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (c) (i))

Fail 20 Jul 2026 97,174 miles

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively damaged significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting missing (5.3.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 16 Jul 2025 95,096 miles

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

brake effort 50%

n/s/r inner sill corroded/holed

vehicle underside heavily undersealed

Pass 18 Jul 2024 94,265 miles

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

Pass 20 Jul 2023 93,418 miles

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.1.2 (e) (i))

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

Fail 19 Jul 2023 93,406 miles

Offside Front Brake master cylinder/servo mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (1.1.21 (e) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Steering component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.1.2 (e) (i))

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

Pass 22 Jul 2022 92,565 miles
Fail 19 Jul 2022 92,563 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Jul 2021 91,714 miles

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

Fail 14 Jul 2021 91,714 miles

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

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 14 Jul 2020 90,690 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

brake effort 50%

corrosion to vehicle underside

Pass 11 Jul 2019 89,104 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 27 Jun 2019 89,092 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

n/s/r outer sill corroded

o/s/f chassis corroded/holed

Pass 25 Jun 2018 86,034 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2017 832,290 miles
Pass 28 Jun 2016 81,415 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2015 79,774 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2014 78,754 miles
Fail 18 Jul 2014 78,783 miles

Driver's seat insecure (6.2.A.1)

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

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

Offside Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Pass 27 Jun 2013 77,279 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2012 73,766 miles
Fail 14 Jun 2012 73,724 miles

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

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

Pass 29 Jun 2011 71,369 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2010 69,545 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2009 68,071 miles
Pass 4 Jul 2008 66,684 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2008 66,684 miles

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

Pass 31 May 2007 64,073 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2006 63,383 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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R388 ABE is a 1997 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 72.4%.

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 R388 ABE, 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 R388 ABE?

You can check the full history of R388 ABE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R388 ABE registered?

R388 ABE is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 8 October 1997.

Is R388 ABE safe to buy?

The MOT history for R388 ABE shows 29 tests with a 72.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R388 ABE 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 R388 ABE. 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.