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R818 CNY

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Oct 2026
Tests29 (19 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate65.5%

Mileage

101,795 mi
Last recorded101,795 miles
Recorded on9 Oct 2025
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR818 CNY
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

19 pass 10 fail
Pass 9 Oct 2025 101,795 miles

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area damaged but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 25 Sep 2025 101,662 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength inner & outer sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material front to rear (1.1.11 (c))

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

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area damaged but not considered excessive sill (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 11 Sep 2025 101,538 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

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

Pass 5 Jul 2024 98,055 miles

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Fail 29 Jun 2024 98,049 miles

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

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

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

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated The outer ball joint dust cover. (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

The rust on suspension and springs.

Pass 29 Jun 2023 94,846 miles
Fail 28 Jun 2023 94,843 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Pass 9 Mar 2022 93,725 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2022 93,732 miles

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from inside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

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

Pass 18 Nov 2020 89,329 miles

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both front and both rear (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 4 Nov 2020 89,186 miles

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

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both front and both rear (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 19 Aug 2019 85,041 miles
Pass 5 Sep 2018 81,294 miles
Pass 25 Aug 2017 79,061 miles

Nearside Front Child Seat fitted not allowing full inspection of adult belt ()

Pass 17 Aug 2016 77,077 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin 70/ worn (3.5.1g)

Fail 17 Aug 2016 77,077 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively split (8.2.2)

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin 70/ worn (3.5.1g)

Pass 25 Aug 2015 95,508 miles
Fail 28 Aug 2014 74,066 miles

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 28 Aug 2014 74,066 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2013 72,638 miles

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

n/s rear outer sill corroson under side sube frames/ suspension front/ rear corroson no holes

Fail 27 Aug 2013 72,638 miles

Nearside Front Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking from a joint (2.3.3b)

Rear Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

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

n/s rear outer sill corroson under side sube frames/ suspension front/ rear corroson no holes

Pass 1 Sep 2012 72,242 miles

both rear outer sills light corroson at back/ both sube frames corroded no holes power steering/pipes light corroson

Fail 23 Aug 2012 72,238 miles

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

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

both rear outer sills light corroson at back/ both sube frames corroded no holes power steering/pipes light corroson

Pass 20 Jun 2011 71,811 miles
Pass 8 Jun 2010 70,690 miles
Pass 1 May 2009 68,945 miles
Pass 7 May 2008 67,586 miles
Pass 2 May 2007 64,671 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2006 62,845 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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R818 CNY is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65.5%.

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 R818 CNY, 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 R818 CNY?

You can check the full history of R818 CNY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R818 CNY registered?

R818 CNY is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 12 August 1997.

Is R818 CNY safe to buy?

The MOT history for R818 CNY shows 29 tests with a 65.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R818 CNY 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 R818 CNY. 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.