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R415 EKX

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Aug 2027
Tests33 (20 pass, 13 fail)
Pass rate60.6%

Mileage

155,065 mi
Last recorded155,065 miles
Recorded on8 Aug 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

RegistrationR415 EKX
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

20 pass 13 fail
Pass 8 Aug 2026 155,065 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2025 153,377 miles
Fail 29 Jul 2025 153,377 miles

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Pass 23 Jul 2024 144,823 miles
Fail 23 Jul 2024 144,823 miles

Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Pass 10 Aug 2023 137,671 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2022 133,356 miles

Nearside Steering linkage ball joint ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Fail 10 Apr 2022 133,351 miles

Brake pedal has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

Rear Brake pipe leaking on a hydraulic braking system (1.1.11 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 18 Mar 2021 128,181 miles

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

Fail 18 Mar 2021 128,181 miles

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

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

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Pass 26 Feb 2020 128,006 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Fail 26 Feb 2020 128,006 miles

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

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

Offside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Pass 8 Jan 2019 127,835 miles
Pass 27 Jun 2017 127,474 miles
Fail 27 Jun 2017 127,474 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 4 Feb 2016 126,843 miles

front and rear brake discs poor

hand brake poor

Pass 13 Feb 2015 126,810 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 19 Jan 2015 126,810 miles

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 24 Jan 2014 126,689 miles
Fail 24 Jan 2014 126,689 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Pass 7 Dec 2012 124,734 miles

Inner Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Fail 3 Dec 2012 124,734 miles

Nearside Front Macpherson strut worn and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Offside Front Macpherson strut worn and seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Inner Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 9 Dec 2011 123,615 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

Fail 8 Dec 2011 123,615 miles

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

Fail 14 Dec 2010 118,448 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 14 Dec 2010 118,448 miles
Pass 17 Dec 2009 114,378 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 16 Dec 2009 114,377 miles

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

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 4 Dec 2008 109,969 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 28 Nov 2007 106,673 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

PLAY IN STEERING RACK

Pass 13 Dec 2006 97,142 miles
Pass 20 Dec 2005 88,021 miles
Fail 19 Dec 2005 88,021 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

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

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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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R415 EKX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 33 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60.6%.

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 R415 EKX, 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 R415 EKX?

You can check the full history of R415 EKX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R415 EKX registered?

R415 EKX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 21 August 1997.

Is R415 EKX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R415 EKX shows 33 tests with a 60.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R415 EKX 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 R415 EKX. 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.