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R78 FGC

1997 Mazda MX-5

Black Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires14 Jun 2026
Tests24 (15 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate62.5%

Mileage

84,789 mi
Last recorded84,789 miles
Recorded on15 Jun 2025
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

RegistrationR78 FGC
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourBlack
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

15 pass 9 fail
Pass 15 Jun 2025 84,789 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2024 82,504 miles

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All four tyres Slighty cracking within tread pattern. (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Fail 7 Jun 2024 82,504 miles

Exhaust catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard (8.2.1.1 (a))

Nearside Front Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Rear fog lamp obviously incorrectly positioned (4.5.4 (a))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All four tyres Slighty cracking within tread pattern. (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 19 May 2023 82,173 miles
Fail 19 May 2023 82,173 miles

Exhaust catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard fabricated new cat convertor in system (8.2.1.1 (a))

Pass 21 Sep 2021 81,000 miles
Pass 24 Jan 2020 80,316 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2018 79,490 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2017 78,428 miles

Front ball joint boots perished but not allowing ingress of water

Pass 14 Nov 2014 76,468 miles
Pass 13 Nov 2013 73,697 miles

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

Fail 13 Nov 2013 73,697 miles

Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 19 May 2012 64,853 miles

slight corrosion to O/S outer sill

Fail 19 May 2012 64,853 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Front Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

slight corrosion to O/S outer sill

Pass 20 May 2011 48,066 miles

Offside Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Fail 18 May 2011 47,832 miles

Nearside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Offside Outer Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 19 May 2010 42,214 miles

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

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

Fail 19 May 2010 42,214 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b)

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

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

Pass 20 May 2009 39,925 miles
Fail 20 May 2009 39,925 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Pass 6 Jun 2007 38,196 miles
Fail 5 Jun 2007 38,193 miles

Offside Front Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

Pass 24 Apr 2006 36,214 miles
Fail 20 Apr 2006 36,191 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (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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R78 FGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Black with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.5%.

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 R78 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 R78 FGC?

You can check the full history of R78 FGC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R78 FGC registered?

R78 FGC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 14 November 1997.

Is R78 FGC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R78 FGC shows 24 tests with a 62.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R78 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 R78 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.