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R501 OGC

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires30 Sep 2026
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

46,444 mi
Last recorded46,444 miles
Recorded on1 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR501 OGC
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 7 fail
Pass 1 Oct 2025 46,444 miles

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened front and rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened front and rear and both sides. (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 1 Oct 2025 46,444 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened front and rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened front and rear and both sides. (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 8 Aug 2024 46,101 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 8 Aug 2024 46,101 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 8 Jun 2023 45,382 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule front and rear (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 8 Jun 2023 45,382 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule front and rear (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (4.1.2 (a))

Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all upper and lower (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 19 Oct 2021 45,125 miles

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

Pass 4 Sep 2020 44,765 miles

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

Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively discs (1.2.1 (e))

Pass 24 Jun 2019 44,461 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 195/50x 15 (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

Pass 27 Jun 2018 43,767 miles
Fail 27 Jun 2018 43,767 miles

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

Pass 3 Apr 2017 40,699 miles
Fail 3 Apr 2017 40,699 miles

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

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

Pass 4 Apr 2016 36,446 miles

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner arch (5.2.6)

Fail 4 Apr 2016 36,446 miles

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner arch (5.2.6)

Pass 2 Apr 2015 32,944 miles
Fail 1 Apr 2015 32,944 miles

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

Pass 26 Feb 2014 32,729 miles

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

Pass 4 Feb 2013 31,762 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2012 30,429 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2011 28,436 miles
Pass 27 Jan 2010 27,075 miles
Pass 16 Jan 2009 26,037 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2008 24,959 miles
Pass 31 Jan 2007 23,512 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2006 22,381 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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R501 OGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

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 R501 OGC, 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 R501 OGC?

You can check the full history of R501 OGC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R501 OGC registered?

R501 OGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 27 November 1997.

Is R501 OGC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R501 OGC shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R501 OGC 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 R501 OGC. 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.