CarVerify

Free Car Check

R642 JTW

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1840cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 May 2027
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

100,511 mi
Last recorded100,511 miles
Recorded on6 May 2026
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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR642 JTW
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

20 pass 7 fail
Pass 6 May 2026 100,511 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Fail 22 Apr 2026 100,347 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 29 Apr 2025 96,397 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2024 92,196 miles

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

Fail 19 Apr 2024 92,147 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 19 Apr 2023 87,955 miles

Nearside Rear Outer sill corroded

Offside Rear Outer sill corroded

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

Fail 6 Apr 2023 87,955 miles

Nearside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Outer sill corroded

Offside Rear Outer sill corroded

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

Pass 25 Jan 2022 83,899 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

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

Pass 11 Jan 2021 83,116 miles
Pass 3 Jan 2020 82,387 miles
Pass 3 Jan 2019 80,482 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 2 Jan 2018 78,117 miles

Offside Rear sill starting to corrode

Pass 3 Jan 2017 75,540 miles

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

battery insecure

both rear inner wheel rims out of shape n/s worse

oil leak back of engine area

Fail 30 Dec 2016 75,532 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

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

Steering wheel retaining device insecure (2.1.6)

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

battery insecure

both rear inner wheel rims out of shape n/s worse

oil leak back of engine area

Pass 22 Dec 2015 73,196 miles

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

Fail 17 Dec 2015 73,190 miles

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

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

Pass 23 Sep 2014 72,637 miles

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

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

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

Fail 26 Sep 2013 69,684 miles

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

both rear outer sills rusting.

Pass 26 Sep 2013 69,684 miles

both rear outer sills rusting.

Pass 11 Sep 2012 66,409 miles
Fail 11 Sep 2012 66,409 miles

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 1 Sep 2011 63,773 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2010 59,261 miles

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

front rear brake discs bsome rust

Pass 26 Aug 2009 54,932 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2008 48,290 miles

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

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

Pass 4 Sep 2007 44,827 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2006 42,198 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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R642 JTW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

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 R642 JTW, 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 R642 JTW?

You can check the full history of R642 JTW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R642 JTW registered?

R642 JTW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 19 September 1997.

Is R642 JTW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R642 JTW shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R642 JTW 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 R642 JTW. 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.