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R74 FGC

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 May 2027
Tests28 (17 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate60.7%

Mileage

100,767 mi
Last recorded100,767 miles
Recorded on28 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR74 FGC
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

17 pass 11 fail
Pass 28 May 2026 100,767 miles
Fail 20 May 2026 100,753 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

Pass 27 May 2025 100,154 miles

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

Fail 20 May 2025 100,152 miles

Central Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

Pass 5 Dec 2023 99,294 miles
Fail 5 Dec 2023 99,294 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

general under body and suspension corrosion

Fail 4 Dec 2023 99,283 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Front Brakes imbalanced across an axle 43% (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

general under body and suspension corrosion

Pass 19 Aug 2022 99,251 miles

Nearside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement front bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

some corrosion in offside outer sill

under body components corroded

Pass 6 Aug 2021 99,201 miles

Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Fail 28 Jul 2021 99,181 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Pass 20 Jul 2020 99,012 miles

Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Fail 17 Jun 2020 98,973 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Battery insecure but not likely to fall from carrier (4.13 (a) (i))

Front Power steering pipe/hose slightly corroded (2.1.5 (g) (i))

Pass 29 May 2019 98,742 miles
Pass 31 May 2018 97,651 miles

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

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

Fail 31 May 2018 97,651 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

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

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

Pass 23 May 2017 97,595 miles

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

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

Pass 25 May 2016 97,178 miles
Pass 18 May 2015 97,008 miles

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

Offside Inner Rear Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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

Fail 18 May 2015 97,008 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Inner Rear Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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

Pass 30 Apr 2014 96,374 miles

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

Fail 30 Apr 2014 96,374 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

Pass 2 May 2013 95,053 miles

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

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

Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 3 May 2012 93,130 miles

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

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

Fail 25 Apr 2012 93,130 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Nearside Outer Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

Offside Front Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Outer Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)

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

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

Pass 4 Apr 2011 87,049 miles
Pass 30 Mar 2010 80,969 miles
Fail 30 Mar 2010 80,969 miles

Centre Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Pass 8 Apr 2009 78,132 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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R74 FGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 60.7%.

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 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 R74 FGC, 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 R74 FGC?

You can check the full history of R74 FGC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R74 FGC registered?

R74 FGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 10 November 1997.

Is R74 FGC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R74 FGC shows 28 tests with a 60.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R74 FGC 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 R74 FGC. 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.