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R781 FVC

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Aug 2026
Tests25 (21 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate84%

Mileage

139,339 mi
Last recorded139,339 miles
Recorded on14 Aug 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR781 FVC
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

21 pass 4 fail
Pass 14 Aug 2025 139,339 miles
Pass 5 Aug 2024 138,624 miles

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

Pass 7 Aug 2023 137,581 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2022 136,694 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2021 135,435 miles
Fail 9 Aug 2021 135,330 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Rear Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 10 Aug 2020 132,425 miles
Fail 10 Aug 2020 132,425 miles

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

Pass 13 Aug 2019 131,757 miles
Pass 6 Aug 2018 129,762 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2017 127,566 miles
Pass 5 Aug 2016 125,459 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2015 124,637 miles
Pass 8 Aug 2014 122,764 miles

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

Pass 2 Aug 2013 121,163 miles
Pass 13 Aug 2012 116,368 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2011 111,284 miles
Pass 8 Jul 2010 98,429 miles
Fail 3 Jul 2010 98,326 miles

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

Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Centre Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

advise sills

Pass 6 Jul 2009 90,296 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Pass 10 Nov 2008 86,768 miles

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

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

Nearside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Nearside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

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

Offside Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

slight corrosion in both sills

Pass 26 Jan 2008 84,884 miles

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

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

Pass 24 Jan 2007 82,947 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Offside Front Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

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

brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 31 Jan 2006 78,659 miles

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Fail 23 Jan 2006 78,580 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

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

Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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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R781 FVC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,839cc 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 R781 FVC, 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 R781 FVC?

You can check the full history of R781 FVC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R781 FVC registered?

R781 FVC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 12 August 1997.

Is R781 FVC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R781 FVC 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 R781 FVC 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 R781 FVC. 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.