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R856 EOX

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires15 Apr 2027
Tests28 (20 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

123,252 mi
Last recorded123,252 miles
Recorded on16 Apr 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR856 EOX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,598cc

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

20 pass 8 fail
Pass 16 Apr 2026 123,252 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2025 122,513 miles
Pass 16 Apr 2024 121,088 miles
Fail 3 Apr 2024 121,064 miles

Front Tyre(s) of different sizes are fitted on the same axle. (5.2.3 (b))

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

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

Rear Tyre(s) of different sizes are fitted on the same axle. (5.2.3 (b))

All Brake Steering & Suspension Components underneath Car are Corroded

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

Heavy underseal on All Welding Repairs

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 8 Mar 2023 119,969 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

welding/repair covered in underseal

Fail 7 Mar 2023 119,964 miles

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

Nearside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength Inner wheel arch area (5.3.6 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened Both (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 19 May 2022 118,569 miles

Various suspension components have general age related corrosion

front chassis scabby (inner wheelarches)

Fail 28 Apr 2022 118,558 miles

Nearside Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced floor (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced wheel arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced jacking point (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced floor (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced wheel arch (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

front suspension and components have age related corrosion

rear suspension and components have age related corrosion

Pass 30 Mar 2021 117,826 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

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

front suspension and components have age related corrosion

underbody has age related corrosion

Pass 19 Mar 2020 116,369 miles

Sill lip have general age related corrosion

Underside has general age related corrosion

Pass 9 Apr 2019 115,118 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material from flexi-hose (1.1.11 (c))

Fail 4 Mar 2019 115,118 miles

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

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

Offside Brake pipe excessively corroded front to rear, from master cylinder (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material from flexi-hose (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 3 Apr 2018 114,605 miles
Fail 28 Mar 2018 114,605 miles

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

Pass 22 Mar 2017 110,503 miles
Fail 6 Mar 2017 110,335 miles

Offside Rear Inner Suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded sill (2.4.A.3)

Offside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Pass 9 Mar 2016 105,861 miles
Pass 16 Mar 2015 101,563 miles

Oil leak

Fail 10 Mar 2015 101,510 miles

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

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

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

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

Oil leak

Pass 3 Mar 2014 95,265 miles

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

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

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

Pass 9 Mar 2013 90,296 miles
Pass 21 Mar 2012 84,260 miles
Pass 25 Mar 2011 79,432 miles
Fail 21 Mar 2011 79,405 miles

Offside front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 9 Mar 2010 73,171 miles

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

offside and nearside front tyres are cracked.

Pass 5 Mar 2009 67,640 miles

Offside Front 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 1 Aug 2008 63,599 miles
Pass 15 Mar 2007 55,970 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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R856 EOX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 R856 EOX, 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 R856 EOX?

You can check the full history of R856 EOX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R856 EOX registered?

R856 EOX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 14 August 1997.

Is R856 EOX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R856 EOX shows 28 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R856 EOX 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 R856 EOX. 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.