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R548 URX

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 May 2027
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

172,873 mi
Last recorded172,873 miles
Recorded on20 May 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Mazda
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR548 URX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 20 May 2026 172,873 miles

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

Pass 14 Mar 2024 172,697 miles

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

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

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

Fail 13 Mar 2024 172,693 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 21 Mar 2023 169,316 miles

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

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

Fail 20 Mar 2023 169,313 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

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

Nearside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

Pass 11 Mar 2022 163,451 miles

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

Fail 7 Mar 2022 163,448 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

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

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

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

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

Pass 9 Mar 2021 158,542 miles

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

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

Fail 8 Mar 2021 158,538 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

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

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

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 31 Mar 2020 153,451 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2020 153,451 miles

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 19 Mar 2019 146,778 miles

Both sills at rear starting to corrode

O/S/F metal brake pipe rusty

Pass 8 Mar 2018 139,309 miles

BOTH SILLS STARTING TO CORRODE AT REAR

Both front tyres worn inner edges

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

Fail 5 Mar 2018 139,240 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

BOTH SILLS STARTING TO CORRODE AT REAR

Both front tyres worn inner edges

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases pipe from rear silencer (7.1.2)

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

Pass 14 Mar 2017 131,982 miles

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

Pass 10 Mar 2016 124,545 miles

O/S/F brake pipe starting to corrode

both rear tyres worn inner edge

Fail 10 Mar 2016 124,545 miles

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

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

O/S/F brake pipe starting to corrode

both rear tyres worn inner edge

Pass 9 Mar 2015 117,258 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

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

Slight binding on both front brakes.

Pass 11 Mar 2014 108,795 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Fail 10 Mar 2014 108,773 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Pass 14 Mar 2013 100,194 miles
Pass 28 Feb 2012 90,218 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2011 81,568 miles
Pass 19 Mar 2010 75,538 miles

front brake pads worn low

Fail 18 Mar 2010 75,529 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

front brake pads worn low

Pass 18 Mar 2009 70,415 miles
Pass 20 Mar 2008 63,091 miles

corrosion starting to bubble up under paint on off side rear sill.

Pass 20 Mar 2007 59,986 miles

Offside front tyre outer sidewall slight damage.

Rear brake pads close to 1.5mm limit & rear discs deteriorated.

Pass 23 Jun 2005 51,796 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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R548 URX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

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 R548 URX, 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 R548 URX?

You can check the full history of R548 URX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R548 URX registered?

R548 URX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 13 September 1997.

Is R548 URX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R548 URX shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R548 URX 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 R548 URX. 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.