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R789 UBW

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Apr 2027
Tests24 (19 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate79.2%

Mileage

68,000 mi
Last recorded68,000 miles
Recorded on20 Apr 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
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR789 UBW
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
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

19 pass 5 fail
Pass 20 Apr 2026 68,000 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

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

Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

Fail 15 Apr 2026 67,996 miles

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Nearside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

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

Offside Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 3 Oct 2024 67,645 miles
Pass 13 Apr 2023 67,459 miles

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view Stone chip in drivers view of swept area (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 16 Mar 2022 67,065 miles

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 14 Mar 2022 67,055 miles

Steering wheel has movement relative to the column indicating looseness (2.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing significantly weakened (7.1.2 (b) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Dec 2020 66,832 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

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

Pass 25 Jun 2019 66,644 miles

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

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

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

Pass 28 Jun 2018 66,329 miles

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

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

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

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Fail 28 Jun 2018 66,329 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

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

Offside Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Offside Seat belt slightly damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

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

Pass 29 Jun 2017 65,437 miles

All 4 tyres are perrishing and old

Pass 15 Sep 2016 64,639 miles

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

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

Offside Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

Pass 14 Sep 2015 62,798 miles
Pass 15 Sep 2014 62,106 miles
Pass 5 Aug 2013 61,136 miles
Pass 26 Jul 2012 60,062 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2011 57,703 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2010 54,531 miles
Fail 13 Jul 2010 54,531 miles

Nearside Front coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 10 Jul 2009 51,208 miles
Pass 29 Jul 2008 50,142 miles
Pass 31 Jul 2007 49,461 miles
Fail 31 Jul 2007 49,461 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 20 Jul 2006 47,619 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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R789 UBW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 79.2%.

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 R789 UBW, 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 R789 UBW?

You can check the full history of R789 UBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R789 UBW registered?

R789 UBW is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 8 August 1997.

Is R789 UBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R789 UBW shows 24 tests with a 79.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R789 UBW 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 R789 UBW. 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.