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R61 LJU

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 May 2027
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

90,958 mi
Last recorded90,958 miles
Recorded on12 May 2026
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

RegistrationR61 LJU
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
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

19 pass 7 fail
Pass 12 May 2026 90,958 miles

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

Pass 2 Jul 2024 90,683 miles
Pass 22 May 2023 90,436 miles
Pass 1 Jun 2022 89,892 miles
Fail 24 May 2022 89,891 miles

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

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

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

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

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

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Pass 14 Apr 2021 88,891 miles
Fail 1 Jun 2020 88,855 miles

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

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength outer sill end (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill end (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Pass 30 May 2019 87,450 miles

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

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

Fail 29 May 2019 87,421 miles

Nearside Front Position lamp light intensity significantly reduced (4.2.3 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

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

Pass 12 Apr 2018 84,785 miles

dipstick handle part broken

oil leaks

underside of vehicle in rusty condition

Fail 12 Apr 2018 84,785 miles

Parking brake lever ratchet mechanism is broken (3.1.5)

dipstick handle part broken

oil leaks

underside of vehicle in rusty condition

Pass 11 Apr 2017 80,933 miles

Oil leak ()

Pass 21 Apr 2016 76,867 miles

Handbrake ratchet mechanism does not operate as expected but works fine

both front tyres cracked

Fail 20 Apr 2016 76,867 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage insecure bolt loose (2.4.G.1)

Handbrake ratchet mechanism does not operate as expected but works fine

both front tyres cracked

Pass 1 May 2015 71,825 miles

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Fail 17 Apr 2015 71,787 miles

Power steering ram(s) leaking from a failed component (2.3.3b)

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Pass 18 Oct 2013 70,696 miles

front brakes slightly binding

Pass 14 Sep 2012 69,570 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2011 69,230 miles

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

Nearside and offside front brakes binding slightly.

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

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

Pass 9 Aug 2010 66,512 miles

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

Nearside front brake binding slightly

Nearside rear tyre perished.

Pass 12 Aug 2009 63,942 miles

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

Nearside rear tyre perishing

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

Offside front brake binding slightly.

Pass 15 Aug 2008 60,486 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

offside front tyre tread perishing

Fail 13 Aug 2008 60,485 miles

Fuel cap/sealing device does not fasten securely maintaining the sealing arrangement (7.2.4b)

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Windscreen wiper blade insecure (8.2.2)

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Temporary fuel cap fitted

offside front tyre tread perishing

Pass 24 Aug 2007 58,107 miles

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

front number plate is starting to deteriorate

Pass 29 Aug 2006 51,926 miles

FRONT NO.PLATE STARTING TO DETERIORATE

Pass 16 Aug 2005 44,553 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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R61 LJU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

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 R61 LJU, 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 R61 LJU?

You can check the full history of R61 LJU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R61 LJU registered?

R61 LJU is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 28 August 1997.

Is R61 LJU safe to buy?

The MOT history for R61 LJU shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R61 LJU 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 R61 LJU. 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.