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R551 SCS

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires3 Aug 2026
Tests26 (18 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate69.2%

Mileage

83,473 mi
Last recorded83,473 miles
Recorded on4 Aug 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 SCS
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

18 pass 8 fail
Pass 4 Aug 2025 83,473 miles

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

Pass 27 Apr 2022 83,451 miles
Pass 8 Apr 2021 83,070 miles
Fail 8 Apr 2021 83,066 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 8 Jul 2019 82,728 miles

Offside Rear Outer Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Fail 26 Jun 2019 82,681 miles

Nearside Front Outer Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Outer Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Offside Rear Outer Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security (6.2.2 (d) (i))

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

Pass 28 Jun 2018 82,162 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Fail 28 Jun 2018 82,161 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Outer Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 27 Jun 2017 81,699 miles

Nearside Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion sill (6.1.B.2)

Offside Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion sill (6.1.B.2)

Fail 21 Jun 2017 81,598 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion sill (6.1.B.2)

Offside Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion sill (6.1.B.2)

Pass 16 Jun 2016 81,254 miles

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

Pass 26 Jun 2015 80,669 miles

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

Pass 17 Jun 2014 80,140 miles

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

Pass 19 Jun 2013 79,134 miles

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

Pass 20 Jun 2012 78,101 miles
Fail 22 May 2012 7,801 miles

Offside Front coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 22 Jul 2011 77,320 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2010 70,817 miles
Fail 15 Jul 2010 70,817 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 24 Jul 2009 64,803 miles
Pass 17 Jul 2008 59,522 miles

n.s.and o.s sills corroded

Pass 20 Jul 2007 55,021 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2006 50,477 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2006 50,477 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2006 50,477 miles

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Fail 18 Jul 2006 50,422 miles

Offside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

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 SCS is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.2%.

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 R551 SCS, 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 SCS?

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

What year was R551 SCS registered?

R551 SCS is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R551 SCS safe to buy?

The MOT history for R551 SCS shows 26 tests with a 69.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R551 SCS 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 SCS. 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.