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R838 BDA

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 Sep 2026
Tests19 (15 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate78.9%

Mileage

142,938 mi
Last recorded142,938 miles
Recorded on15 Sep 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

RegistrationR838 BDA
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
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 4 fail
Pass 15 Sep 2025 142,938 miles

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Fail 8 Sep 2025 142,933 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 default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Fail 15 Aug 2025 142,915 miles

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

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Pass 29 Aug 2024 137,360 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2023 136,824 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2020 136,120 miles
Pass 15 Apr 2019 133,230 miles

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

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 23 Apr 2018 130,685 miles
Pass 12 May 2017 128,785 miles
Fail 11 May 2017 126,785 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Offside Rear Inner Vehicle structure has slight damage cahiss as slight damage (6.1.A.1)

Pass 27 Apr 2013 128,768 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2012 128,425 miles
Pass 26 Mar 2011 127,968 miles
Pass 1 Apr 2010 127,433 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2008 125,705 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2007 124,818 miles
Pass 29 Sep 2006 122,894 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2005 119,522 miles

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

Pass 28 Oct 2005 119,522 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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R838 BDA is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.9%.

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 R838 BDA, 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 R838 BDA?

You can check the full history of R838 BDA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R838 BDA registered?

R838 BDA is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R838 BDA safe to buy?

The MOT history for R838 BDA shows 19 tests with a 78.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R838 BDA 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 R838 BDA. 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.