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R55 SJM

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Oct 2026
Tests22 (16 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate72.7%

Mileage

97,072 mi
Last recorded97,072 miles
Recorded on1 Oct 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR55 SJM
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

16 pass 6 fail
Pass 1 Oct 2025 97,072 miles

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

Pass 2 Oct 2024 96,921 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2023 96,854 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2022 96,466 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2021 95,098 miles

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

Pass 9 May 2018 87,461 miles
Pass 12 May 2017 81,573 miles
Pass 9 Jul 2016 71,023 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2015 62,359 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

o/s/r outer has slight surface rust

Pass 7 Jul 2015 62,359 miles

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

o/s/r outer has slight surface rust

Pass 14 Apr 2014 49,556 miles
Fail 14 Apr 2014 49,556 miles

Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

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

Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 5 May 2011 46,907 miles

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

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

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

Fail 21 Apr 2011 46,876 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

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

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

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

Pass 28 Apr 2010 43,576 miles

Front tyres slightly cracked

NSF tyre worn on inner edge

Nail in offside front tyre

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

OSR tyre slightly perished

Rear exhaust rattle

Fail 26 Apr 2010 43,576 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

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

Front tyres slightly cracked

NSF tyre worn on inner edge

Nail in offside front tyre

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

OSR tyre slightly perished

Rear exhaust rattle

Fail 27 Apr 2009 40,087 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Nail in front tyre

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

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

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

Pass 27 Apr 2009 40,087 miles

Nail in front tyre

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

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

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

Pass 11 Oct 2007 33,901 miles
Fail 11 Oct 2007 33,901 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

Pass 17 Oct 2006 28,668 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2005 24,169 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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R55 SJM is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72.7%.

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 R55 SJM, 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 R55 SJM?

You can check the full history of R55 SJM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R55 SJM registered?

R55 SJM is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R55 SJM safe to buy?

The MOT history for R55 SJM shows 22 tests with a 72.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R55 SJM 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 R55 SJM. 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.