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R522 FBR

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Dec 2026
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

53,497 mi
Last recorded53,497 miles
Recorded on3 Dec 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

RegistrationR522 FBR
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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 3 Dec 2025 53,497 miles

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

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Fail 3 Dec 2025 53,497 miles

Front Service brake excessively binding Nearside + Offside (1.2.1 (f))

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

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

Nearside Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced Sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

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

Pass 6 Dec 2024 50,783 miles

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

Offside Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 11 Dec 2023 48,120 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Nail in tyre ()

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 7 Dec 2022 46,434 miles
Pass 23 Dec 2021 45,828 miles

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all 4 (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive jacking point (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive jacking point (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Oct 2020 45,217 miles

Front Macpherson strut corroded but not seriously weakened both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all 4 (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Oct 2019 44,094 miles

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

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 23 Oct 2018 42,837 miles

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

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

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

Pass 21 Oct 2017 41,521 miles
Pass 22 Oct 2016 40,129 miles

Offside Rear Inner Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Fail 22 Oct 2016 40,129 miles

Offside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Offside Rear Inner Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill (2.4.A.3)

Pass 27 Oct 2015 38,585 miles

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

Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all 4 (2.4.G.1)

Pass 13 Oct 2014 37,127 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2013 35,214 miles

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

Pass 20 Oct 2012 33,728 miles

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

Fail 20 Oct 2012 33,728 miles

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Fail 13 Oct 2011 31,792 miles

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 13 Oct 2011 31,792 miles
Pass 16 Oct 2010 29,490 miles
Pass 10 Oct 2009 27,266 miles
Fail 10 Oct 2009 27,266 miles

Rear Exhaust has part of the system excessively deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Pass 11 Oct 2008 25,422 miles
Pass 13 Oct 2007 23,690 miles
Pass 18 Oct 2006 22,271 miles
Pass 19 Oct 2005 20,621 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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R522 FBR 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 80.8%.

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 R522 FBR, 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 R522 FBR?

You can check the full history of R522 FBR by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R522 FBR registered?

R522 FBR is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 October 1997.

Is R522 FBR safe to buy?

The MOT history for R522 FBR shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R522 FBR 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 R522 FBR. 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.