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R474 MGJ

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Apr 2027
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

111,123 mi
Last recorded111,123 miles
Recorded on9 Apr 2026
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
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR474 MGJ
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 4 fail
Pass 9 Apr 2026 111,123 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Pass 16 Apr 2025 105,312 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2024 104,473 miles

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

Pass 16 Mar 2023 103,811 miles

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

Pass 14 Mar 2022 101,687 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Fail 9 Mar 2022 101,682 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (1.1.12 (b) (ii))

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

Pass 19 Mar 2021 96,497 miles
Pass 12 Jun 2019 93,774 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2018 86,103 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

signs of standing

Fail 9 Jun 2018 86,103 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Inner Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

signs of standing

Pass 7 Oct 2016 86,074 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Offside Rear Upper Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 7 Oct 2015 85,971 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2014 85,664 miles

Nearside Inner Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

Pass 17 Sep 2013 84,210 miles

Nearside Inner Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Pass 27 Sep 2012 81,308 miles

Nearside Inner Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Pass 28 Sep 2011 77,666 miles

wiper blades deteriating. front brake pads getting low.

Pass 30 Sep 2010 74,563 miles

Nearside Inner Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

minor signs of perishing and corrosion

Pass 28 Sep 2009 70,367 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

some signs of perishing and corrosion

Fail 22 Sep 2009 70,217 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

some signs of perishing and corrosion

Fail 25 Sep 2008 64,494 miles

Nearside Windscreen has a sticker or other obstruction encroaching into the swept area by more than 40mm outside zone 'A' (8.3.1e)

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

front number plate slight damage some signs of perishing and corrosion-rear end of offside sill marginal

Pass 25 Sep 2008 64,494 miles

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

front number plate slight damage some signs of perishing and corrosion-rear end of offside sill marginal

Pass 25 Sep 2007 57,547 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2006 52,839 miles

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

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

Pass 1 Oct 2005 47,330 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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R474 MGJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

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 R474 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 R474 MGJ?

You can check the full history of R474 MGJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R474 MGJ registered?

R474 MGJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 4 October 1997.

Is R474 MGJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R474 MGJ shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R474 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 R474 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.