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R501 UBP

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Jan 2027
Tests21 (17 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate81%

Mileage

80,801 mi
Last recorded80,801 miles
Recorded on15 Jan 2026
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 UBP
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

17 pass 4 fail
Pass 15 Jan 2026 80,801 miles

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

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

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

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

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

Pass 6 Jan 2025 78,239 miles

Nearside 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))

Fail 23 Dec 2024 78,236 miles

Brake hydraulic reservoir cap missing (1.1.10 (e))

Front Service brake excessively fluctuating (1.2.1 (e))

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

Offside Rear Inner Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced sill and lower arch to sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

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

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside 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))

Pass 1 Nov 2021 76,920 miles

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

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

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

Rear advise both inner sills slightly corroded

Pass 29 May 2019 75,572 miles

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

Fail 29 May 2019 75,570 miles

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

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases cat to middle section joint (6.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 23 May 2018 71,556 miles
Pass 2 May 2017 66,860 miles

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

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

Rear Both brake discs are slightly corroded.

Pass 27 Apr 2016 66,586 miles

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

Nearside Rear Sill is corroded.

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

Rear Both rear brake discs are slightly corroded.

Pass 26 May 2015 65,988 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 13 Aug 2014 60,671 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

nearside outer sill corroded

Fail 13 Aug 2014 60,671 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

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

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

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

nearside outer sill corroded

Pass 7 Aug 2013 57,957 miles

rear brake discs pitted

Fail 7 Aug 2013 57,954 miles

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

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

Service brake: service brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

rear brake discs pitted

Pass 13 Apr 2012 50,853 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2011 49,096 miles

both rear outer sills corroded heavily

Pass 20 Mar 2010 46,647 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2009 42,770 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2008 40,093 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2007 33,660 miles
Pass 2 Sep 2005 28,915 miles

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

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

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 UBP is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 81%.

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 UBP, 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 UBP?

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

What year was R501 UBP registered?

R501 UBP is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 29 August 1997.

Is R501 UBP safe to buy?

The MOT history for R501 UBP shows 21 tests with a 81% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R501 UBP 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 UBP. 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.