CarVerify

Free Car Check

R424 DFB

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Oct 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

84,963 mi
Last recorded84,963 miles
Recorded on14 Oct 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR424 DFB
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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 14 Oct 2025 84,963 miles
Fail 14 Oct 2025 84,963 miles

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

Pass 15 Oct 2024 83,029 miles
Fail 22 Aug 2024 82,914 miles

Offside Front Body panel corroded and likely to cause injury wing (6.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced inner and outer sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced outer sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 25 Aug 2023 81,323 miles

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 24 Aug 2023 81,303 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 14 Sep 2022 79,746 miles

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

Pass 20 Sep 2021 78,041 miles

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

Fail 15 Sep 2021 78,041 miles

Nearside Rear Brake lever has abnormal movement of levers indicating excessive wear or maladjustment caliper needs adjusting ,excess travel on lever (1.1.15 (f))

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

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

Pass 27 Aug 2020 76,574 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2019 75,058 miles

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material at union block (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 11 Sep 2019 75,043 miles

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

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

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material at union block (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 22 Aug 2018 72,246 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2017 68,911 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded between union and plastic coating on pipe going to n/s (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion Outer sill (6.1.B.2)

Pass 15 Jun 2016 64,224 miles
Pass 3 Jul 2015 60,947 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2015 60,947 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 27 Mar 2014 58,417 miles
Pass 8 Mar 2013 56,022 miles
Pass 23 Mar 2012 53,482 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Pass 1 Apr 2011 51,536 miles

Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Pass 22 Mar 2010 50,201 miles

hand brake travel long

o/s outer sill getting rusty

Pass 30 Jan 2009 46,715 miles

hand brake travel long

o/s/r tyre has a cut on outer side wall

Pass 23 Jan 2008 42,983 miles
Pass 8 Jan 2007 41,730 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2006 41,210 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R424 DFB is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 R424 DFB, 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 R424 DFB?

You can check the full history of R424 DFB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R424 DFB registered?

R424 DFB is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 29 December 1997.

Is R424 DFB safe to buy?

The MOT history for R424 DFB shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R424 DFB 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 R424 DFB. 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.