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R401 ACK

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Mar 2027
Tests22 (15 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate68.2%

Mileage

130,419 mi
Last recorded130,419 miles
Recorded on6 Mar 2026
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

RegistrationR401 ACK
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,840cc

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 7 fail
Pass 6 Mar 2026 130,419 miles

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Vehicle structure is deformed but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front to rear chassis rails bent (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Fail 6 Mar 2026 130,419 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Upper Shock absorbers has a slightly worn bush (5.3.2 (c))

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

Vehicle structure is deformed but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced front to rear chassis rails bent (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Mar 2025 122,984 miles

Parking brake low effort - Nearside

Pass 7 Aug 2023 108,072 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2022 104,587 miles
Fail 18 Jul 2022 104,587 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Fail 7 Feb 2022 104,494 miles

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Front Registration plate missing (0.1 (a))

Nearside Front Vehicle structure is deformed and structural rigidity is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Vehicle structure is deformed and structural rigidity is significantly reduced (6.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 9 Feb 2021 94,252 miles

Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 12 Aug 2016 92,579 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2015 90,989 miles

Centre stoplamp not working.

Pass 4 Aug 2014 89,987 miles

Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Centre stop lamp not working

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 4 Aug 2014 89,987 miles

Offside Rear Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Anti-roll bar corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Centre stop lamp not working

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 7 Jul 2014 89,968 miles

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

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 15 Jul 2013 88,898 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2013 88,869 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Exhaust tailpipe not capable of allowing the emission probe to be inserted (7.3.D.1)

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

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Pass 6 Jul 2012 85,552 miles
Pass 28 May 2011 86,815 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2009 86,329 miles
Pass 8 Feb 2008 85,253 miles

front and rear brake pads appear low?

o/s door mirror missing.

Pass 6 Feb 2007 85,423 miles
Fail 5 Feb 2007 85,423 miles

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

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

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

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Offside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

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

front and rear brake discs rusted

hand brake travel

Pass 19 Jan 2006 82,801 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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R401 ACK is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.2%.

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 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 R401 ACK, 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 R401 ACK?

You can check the full history of R401 ACK by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R401 ACK registered?

R401 ACK is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R401 ACK safe to buy?

The MOT history for R401 ACK shows 22 tests with a 68.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R401 ACK 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 R401 ACK. 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.