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R494 LJW

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Jul 2016
Tests19 (11 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate57.9%

Mileage

148,621 mi
Last recorded148,621 miles
Recorded on6 May 2016
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR494 LJW
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

11 pass 8 fail
Fail 6 May 2016 148,621 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Offside Rear Body has a sharp edge caused by damage bumper (6.1.C.1)

Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded o/s/r inner sill (5.2.6)

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Brake pipe slightly corroded n/s/f + rear (3.6.B.2c)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Shock absorber has a light misting of oil n/s/f + n/s/r (2.7.3)

Pass 15 Jul 2015 139,279 miles

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

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

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

fuel cap seal is slightly perished

windscreen is cracked

Fail 29 Jun 2015 139,279 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

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

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

advise crack in windscreen

fuel cap seal slightly perished

Pass 9 May 2014 124,317 miles
Pass 23 May 2013 109,661 miles
Fail 15 Feb 2013 109,630 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

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

Nearside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

Offside Obligatory mirror insecure (8.1.1)

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

Offside front brake juddering severely (3.7.A.2b)

Nail in offside front tyre

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

both rear discs very badly corroded

Pass 16 Jan 2012 101,893 miles

Surface corrosion on front metal brake pipes.

Underside of vehicle rusty especially suspension componants.

Fail 13 Jan 2012 101,893 miles

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Offside Front All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Front Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

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

Reduced surface area on rear brake discs.

Surface corrosion on front metal brake pipes.

Underside of vehicle rusty especially suspension componants.

Pass 1 Feb 2011 95,654 miles
Fail 31 Jan 2011 95,654 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Pass 4 Feb 2010 88,172 miles

Corrosion to both rear brake discs

Corrosion to suspension arms

Fail 4 Feb 2010 88,172 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

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

Corrosion to both rear brake discs

Corrosion to suspension arms

Fail 28 Jan 2009 86,906 miles

Rear Fuel hose leaking (7.2.3)

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 28 Jan 2009 86,906 miles

Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 28 Jan 2008 72,593 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

rear suspension routy but not holed at time of test

Fail 21 Jan 2008 72,593 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

rear suspension routy but not holed at time of test

Pass 29 Jan 2007 60,255 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2006 52,508 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2005 50,014 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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R494 LJW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 57.9%.

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 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 R494 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 R494 LJW?

You can check the full history of R494 LJW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R494 LJW registered?

R494 LJW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R494 LJW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R494 LJW shows 19 tests with a 57.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R494 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 R494 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.