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R551 VDA

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Nov 2026
Tests25 (21 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate84%

Mileage

124,079 mi
Last recorded124,079 miles
Recorded on12 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR551 VDA
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
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 4 fail
Pass 12 Nov 2025 124,079 miles
Pass 20 Nov 2024 123,662 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2023 121,666 miles

UNDERBODY CORROSION

Pass 18 Nov 2022 117,511 miles
Pass 11 Nov 2021 115,496 miles
Fail 11 Nov 2021 115,496 miles

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

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 18 Nov 2020 114,811 miles

Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Both front and both rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Coil spring corroded all four (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 18 Nov 2020 114,811 miles

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Both front and both rear (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Coil spring corroded all four (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 21 Nov 2019 113,435 miles

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 22 Nov 2018 109,743 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 22 Nov 2017 105,415 miles

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened both. (3.5.1i)

Pass 31 Oct 2016 99,041 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak ()

Rear brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

fuel and brake pipes heavily greased

Pass 16 Nov 2015 93,802 miles
Fail 16 Nov 2015 93,802 miles

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

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

Pass 11 Nov 2014 89,466 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2013 86,362 miles
Pass 12 Nov 2012 83,579 miles

Nearside Front Sub-frame slightly distorted (2.4.G.1)

Pass 25 Nov 2011 79,111 miles

nsf subframe slightly bent

Pass 9 Nov 2010 74,627 miles

nsf subframe slightly out of line

Pass 2 Nov 2009 59,961 miles

nearside of steering rack closer to the subframe than offside

slight corrosion on both outer sills at rear

Fail 2 Nov 2009 59,961 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

nearside of steering rack closer to the subframe than offside

slight corrosion on both outer sills at rear

Pass 8 Nov 2008 50,863 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 24 Nov 2007 50,501 miles

brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

location of steering rack on nearside

Pass 6 Nov 2006 49,118 miles

16% inbalance on front brakes

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

condition of both rear sills

front brake discs corroded

front brake pads worn low

Pass 24 Nov 2005 42,818 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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R551 VDA is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84%.

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 VDA, 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 VDA?

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

What year was R551 VDA registered?

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

Is R551 VDA safe to buy?

The MOT history for R551 VDA shows 25 tests with a 84% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R551 VDA 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 VDA. 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.