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R398 MMO

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires17 Nov 2026
Tests27 (19 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate70.4%

Mileage

160,730 mi
Last recorded160,730 miles
Recorded on14 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR398 MMO
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

19 pass 8 fail
Pass 14 Nov 2025 160,730 miles
Fail 14 Nov 2025 160,730 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 11 Nov 2024 158,040 miles
Fail 11 Nov 2024 158,040 miles

Rear Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii))

Pass 30 Oct 2023 155,182 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 18 Nov 2022 151,869 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Fail 18 Nov 2022 151,869 miles

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 10 Nov 2021 151,723 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 1 Oct 2020 146,473 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 3 Apr 2019 139,831 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2017 126,212 miles
Fail 16 Jun 2017 126,212 miles

Offside Front All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 15 Jun 2016 114,098 miles
Fail 15 Jun 2016 114,098 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Front Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 16 May 2015 98,253 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

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

Pass 2 Jun 2014 97,516 miles
Fail 15 May 2014 97,386 miles

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

corrosion on offside rear inner sill, not within prescribed area

Pass 27 Mar 2013 93,997 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 28 Mar 2012 90,649 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2011 88,162 miles
Fail 28 Mar 2011 88,161 miles

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Pass 29 Mar 2010 85,712 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2009 81,865 miles
Pass 9 Apr 2008 77,919 miles

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

Fail 7 Apr 2008 77,852 miles

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Pass 2 Apr 2007 72,407 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2006 64,626 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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R398 MMO is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.4%.

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 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 R398 MMO, 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 R398 MMO?

You can check the full history of R398 MMO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R398 MMO registered?

R398 MMO is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 12 December 1997.

Is R398 MMO safe to buy?

The MOT history for R398 MMO shows 27 tests with a 70.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R398 MMO 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 R398 MMO. 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.