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R551 LJT

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Nov 2026
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

88,250 mi
Last recorded88,250 miles
Recorded on17 Nov 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

RegistrationR551 LJT
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,839cc

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 4 fail
Pass 17 Nov 2025 88,250 miles

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

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

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

Pass 15 Nov 2024 87,167 miles

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

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

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

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

Pass 14 Nov 2023 86,090 miles

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

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

Pass 14 Nov 2022 85,246 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge outer edge starting to get low (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

Pass 26 Nov 2021 84,500 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge wearing low on outer edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 27 Oct 2020 83,332 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2019 80,922 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2018 79,315 miles
Fail 30 Apr 2018 79,315 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 1 (3.7.B.5b)

Pass 24 Apr 2017 78,084 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2016 76,027 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2015 74,230 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

underside of vehicle has been re underseald recentley

Fail 30 Apr 2015 74,230 miles

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

underside of vehicle has been re underseald recentley

Pass 1 May 2014 71,953 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Offside Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

vehicle recentley completeley re undesild, front to rear ,inc suspension

Pass 22 Mar 2013 69,340 miles

Headlamp masks/converters fitted

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 22 Mar 2013 69,340 miles

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

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

Headlamp masks/converters fitted

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 16 Mar 2012 67,004 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

Oil leak

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 18 Mar 2011 65,097 miles

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

Nearside Front Valve stem slightly damaged (4.1.D.1e)

Offside Front Valve stem slightly damaged (4.1.D.1e)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

slight damage o/s/r tyre

Pass 3 Mar 2010 63,530 miles

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

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 19 Mar 2009 61,076 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Oil leak

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 28 Feb 2008 58,620 miles

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

perrished n/s/r tyre

Pass 27 Feb 2007 55,336 miles
Fail 23 Feb 2007 55,331 miles

Nearside Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Pass 14 Jul 2006 53,979 miles

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Front front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

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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R551 LJT is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

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 R551 LJT, 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 R551 LJT?

You can check the full history of R551 LJT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R551 LJT registered?

R551 LJT is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 30 August 1997.

Is R551 LJT safe to buy?

The MOT history for R551 LJT shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R551 LJT 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 R551 LJT. 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.