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R457 LJW

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires2 Nov 2026
Tests29 (19 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate65.5%

Mileage

102,089 mi
Last recorded102,089 miles
Recorded on3 Nov 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR457 LJW
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 10 fail
Pass 3 Nov 2025 102,089 miles
Fail 20 Oct 2025 102,083 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Rear Rear fog lamp does not emit a steady red light (4.5.4 (a))

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Pass 18 Oct 2024 95,351 miles

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both feathered on inner edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 18 Oct 2024 95,351 miles

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively both (3.4 (b) (ii))

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both feathered on inner edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 6 Sep 2024 95,350 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

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

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

Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing both front tyres feathering inner edge (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 17 Jul 2023 92,514 miles
Pass 8 Aug 2022 92,279 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2021 90,773 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2020 89,929 miles

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

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

Fail 29 Jul 2020 89,926 miles

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

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

Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

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

Pass 3 May 2019 88,023 miles

slight oil leaks

various brake pipes slightly corroded

vehicle corroded

all coil springs becoming corroded

Fail 2 May 2019 88,021 miles

Nearside Outer Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

slight oil leaks

various brake pipes slightly corroded

vehicle corroded

all coil springs becoming corroded

o/s wiper smearing

Pass 4 May 2018 84,869 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded various (3.6.B.2c)

all coil springs becoming corroded

o/s/f brake slightly binding

various slight oil leaks

vehicle becoming corroded

Fail 3 May 2018 84,867 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded front of n/s/r inner wheel arch (5.2.6)

Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded front of o/s/r inner wheel arch (5.2.6)

Brake pipe slightly corroded various (3.6.B.2c)

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

all coil springs becoming corroded

both rear brake discs becoming corroded

both rear brakes very slightly binding

exhaust corroded

exhaust tail pipe missing and becoming noisey

o/s wiper split

o/s/f brake slightly binding

various slight oil leaks

vehicle becoming corroded

Pass 19 Apr 2017 81,017 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded various (3.6.B.2c)

all springs becoming corroded

both rear brakes slightly binding

exhaust becoming corroded

n/s/r tyre becoming worn

Fail 19 Apr 2017 81,013 miles

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

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

Brake pipe slightly corroded various (3.6.B.2c)

all springs becoming corroded

both rear brakes slightly binding

exhaust becoming corroded

n/s/r tyre becoming worn

Pass 25 Apr 2016 78,278 miles

n/s/r tyre becoming perished

rear coil springs becoming corroded

vehicle becoming corroded

Pass 7 May 2015 75,287 miles

vehical is becomming corroded

Fail 7 May 2015 75,284 miles

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

both rear tyres worn close to legal limit & becoming cracked/perished (2mm)

o/s/f tyre worn close to legal limit on outer edge 1.6mm

vehical is becomming corroded

Pass 16 Apr 2014 73,400 miles

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

offside rear outer wheel arch corroded

Pass 27 Apr 2013 72,445 miles
Pass 9 May 2012 70,540 miles

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

Pass 16 Apr 2011 65,656 miles
Fail 16 Apr 2011 65,654 miles

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

Pass 23 Apr 2010 54,104 miles
Fail 22 Apr 2010 54,104 miles

Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Pass 1 Jun 2009 53,729 miles
Pass 4 Oct 2007 52,734 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2006 51,463 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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R457 LJW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.5%.

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 R457 LJW, 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 R457 LJW?

You can check the full history of R457 LJW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R457 LJW registered?

R457 LJW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 4 August 1997.

Is R457 LJW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R457 LJW shows 29 tests with a 65.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R457 LJW 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 R457 LJW. 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.