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R389 KFX

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires20 Aug 2026
Tests20 (15 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

106,164 mi
Last recorded106,164 miles
Recorded on21 Aug 2025
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

RegistrationR389 KFX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
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

15 pass 5 fail
Pass 21 Aug 2025 106,164 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material all pipes greased (1.1.11 (c))

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

o/s and n/s outer sills corroding at rear

Pass 5 Oct 2023 105,575 miles

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material n\s to o\s (1.1.11 (c))

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive all (5.3.6 (a) (i))

all Tyres over ten years old

Pass 11 Aug 2020 105,497 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 Rear Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 10 Aug 2020 105,497 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

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

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 2 Aug 2018 105,031 miles

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

Fuel hose corroded (6.1.3 (c) (ii))

Nearside Front Outer Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Outer Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Suspension components corroded

Pass 16 Jun 2017 104,368 miles
Fail 16 Jun 2017 104,365 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 22 Jun 2016 103,886 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Fail 7 Jun 2016 103,834 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod attachment bracket/mounting insecure (2.4.G.1)

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

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Offside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Pass 26 Mar 2015 102,591 miles

Oil leak

brake pipes corroded

front and rear brake discs poor,rear pads low

Pass 4 Mar 2014 100,217 miles

Oil leak

brake pipes corroded

front and rear brake discs poor,rear pads low

Pass 21 Mar 2013 98,436 miles

brake pipes corroded

front and rear brake discs poor

minor corrosion at offside chassis,general corrosion under vehicle

Pass 28 Mar 2012 96,905 miles

brake pipes corroded

front and rear brake discs poor

general corrosion under vehicle

pinhole in offside chassis

Pass 11 Mar 2011 94,344 miles

brake pipes corroded

general corrosion under vehicle

pinhole in offside chassis

radial bulge in offside rear tyre

rear brake discs very poor

Fail 2 Mar 2011 94,344 miles

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

brake pipes corroded

general corrosion under vehicle

pinhole in offside chassis

radial bulge in offside rear tyre

rear brake discs very poor

Pass 16 Jan 2010 89,181 miles

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

brake pipes corroded

Fail 15 Jan 2010 89,181 miles

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

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

brake pipes corroded

Pass 17 Jan 2009 82,687 miles

brake pipes corroded

exhaust corroded

offside rear sill corroded

Pass 19 Jan 2008 77,543 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2007 71,850 miles

rear pads very low

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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R389 KFX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 R389 KFX, 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 R389 KFX?

You can check the full history of R389 KFX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R389 KFX registered?

R389 KFX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 6 August 1997.

Is R389 KFX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R389 KFX shows 20 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R389 KFX 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 R389 KFX. 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.