CarVerify

Free Car Check

R463 MGJ

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1840cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Apr 2027
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

205,079 mi
Last recorded205,079 miles
Recorded on22 Apr 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR463 MGJ
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

19 pass 5 fail
Pass 22 Apr 2026 205,079 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Fail 7 Mar 2026 205,038 miles

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

Offside Front Brake pipe excessively corroded (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases silencer joint cracked (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 12 Apr 2024 197,570 miles
Pass 14 Apr 2023 197,163 miles

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Fail 11 Apr 2023 197,163 miles

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

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

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

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

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

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

Pass 14 Apr 2022 196,438 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2021 191,039 miles
Fail 13 Apr 2021 190,954 miles

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

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

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

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

under body corroded

Pass 21 Mar 2020 186,999 miles

Exhaust noisy

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

Rear underside of vehicle corroded.

Pass 28 Mar 2019 184,636 miles
Pass 6 Apr 2018 183,672 miles
Pass 4 Apr 2017 182,277 miles

Front metal brake pipes corroded by flexis

engine oil on min

Fail 4 Apr 2017 182,277 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Front metal brake pipes corroded by flexis

engine oil on min

Pass 21 Mar 2016 177,341 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded metal (3.6.B.2c)

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

oil leak & engine oil on min

Pass 27 Mar 2015 173,892 miles

both under body chassis rails covered with alloy covers

front suspension painted but signs of corrosion

rear suspension corroded

Pass 3 Apr 2014 167,924 miles
Pass 8 Apr 2013 164,790 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2012 149,473 miles

Offside Rear Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

offside front slightly perished on outer sidewall

Pass 4 Jan 2011 139,268 miles
Fail 4 Jan 2011 139,268 miles

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 23 Jan 2010 133,301 miles

Front Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 24 Jan 2009 126,624 miles

Front pads low

Pass 26 Jan 2008 119,885 miles
Pass 13 Jan 2007 114,309 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

R463 MGJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

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 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 R463 MGJ, 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 R463 MGJ?

You can check the full history of R463 MGJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R463 MGJ registered?

R463 MGJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 17 October 1997.

Is R463 MGJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R463 MGJ shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R463 MGJ 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 R463 MGJ. 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.