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R85 KLJ

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires26 Jul 2027
Tests27 (17 pass, 10 fail)
Pass rate63%

Mileage

164,608 mi
Last recorded164,608 miles
Recorded on27 Jul 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

RegistrationR85 KLJ
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

17 pass 10 fail
Pass 27 Jul 2026 164,608 miles

Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated x2 nsf,osf (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Integral body structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

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

chip in screen

under body covered in underseal

Pass 19 Apr 2025 162,375 miles
Pass 19 Mar 2024 160,645 miles
Pass 14 Jan 2023 159,379 miles
Pass 23 Aug 2021 157,816 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Oct 2019 148,039 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 4 Sep 2018 143,432 miles

Corrosion on sills

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

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

Suspension components corroded

Fail 4 Sep 2018 143,432 miles

Corrosion on sills

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a))

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

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

Suspension components corroded

Pass 27 Oct 2016 143,402 miles

Corrosion on rear sills

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Fail 24 Oct 2016 143,401 miles

Emissions not tested radiator leaked (7.3.A.1)

Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Corrosion on rear sills

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Pass 4 Mar 2014 140,911 miles

Surface corrosion affecting front and rear suspension areas

Fail 28 Feb 2014 140,907 miles

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

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

front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

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

Surface corrosion affecting front and rear suspension areas

Pass 20 Mar 2013 136,401 miles

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

Fail 26 Feb 2013 135,673 miles

Front Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Front Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pass 12 Mar 2012 125,482 miles

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 12 Mar 2012 125,480 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b) DANGEROUS

Nearside front brake binding (3.7.B.1) DANGEROUS

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 18 Mar 2011 116,289 miles

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

surface corrosion to rear suspension components

Fail 18 Mar 2011 116,289 miles

Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

surface corrosion to rear suspension components

Pass 12 Mar 2010 110,055 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Surface corrosion to front and rear suspension components

Fail 11 Mar 2010 110,055 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

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

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

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

Surface corrosion to front and rear suspension components

Pass 26 Mar 2009 101,103 miles

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Surface corrosion to front and rear suspension components

Surface corrosion to n/s/r sill

Fail 23 Mar 2009 101,103 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

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

Nail in nearside rear tyre

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

Offside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Surface corrosion to front and rear susepension components

Surface corrosion to n/s/r sill

Pass 25 Mar 2008 90,253 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

child seat fitted n/s/f

Pass 26 Mar 2007 76,952 miles
Fail 26 Mar 2007 76,948 miles

Nearside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Pass 4 May 2006 68,793 miles
Fail 4 May 2006 68,791 miles

Offside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

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

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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Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

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R85 KLJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63%.

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 R85 KLJ, 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 R85 KLJ?

You can check the full history of R85 KLJ by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R85 KLJ registered?

R85 KLJ is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R85 KLJ safe to buy?

The MOT history for R85 KLJ shows 27 tests with a 63% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R85 KLJ 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 R85 KLJ. 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.