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R881 XEG

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Sep 2026
Tests27 (21 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

130,841 mi
Last recorded130,841 miles
Recorded on5 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

RegistrationR881 XEG
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

21 pass 6 fail
Pass 5 Sep 2025 130,841 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2024 128,526 miles
Fail 6 Sep 2024 128,526 miles

Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

Pass 11 Sep 2023 126,431 miles

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

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

underside rusty

Fail 7 Sep 2023 126,431 miles

Brake lever has insufficient reserve travel (1.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

underside rusty

Pass 6 Sep 2022 121,992 miles

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

Fail 6 Sep 2022 121,992 miles

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

Rear Exhaust emissions likely to be affected by an exhaust leak (8.2.1.1 (b))

Pass 6 Sep 2021 115,335 miles

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

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

Fail 6 Sep 2021 115,335 miles

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

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

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

Pass 27 Aug 2020 107,393 miles

Offside Front Macpherson strut ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 27 Aug 2020 107,393 miles

Offside Front Macpherson strut ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 7 Sep 2019 98,032 miles
Fail 7 Sep 2019 98,032 miles

Front Registration plate inscription illegible (0.1 (b))

Pass 5 Sep 2018 92,981 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill area (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 4 Sep 2017 85,790 miles

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

Pass 3 Sep 2016 79,243 miles

Body has slight corrosion various chassis (6.1.B.2)

Nearside Front Body has slight corrosion sill area bottom of wing (advise attention) (6.1.B.2)

Offside Front Body has slight corrosion sill area bottom of wing (advise attention) (6.1.B.2)

coil spring corroded all 4 (2.4.C.1b)

various suspension components slightly corroded

Pass 25 Aug 2015 75,877 miles

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

Pass 23 Aug 2014 71,070 miles

n/s/front and o/s/front drop link rubbers worn

screen chipped

Pass 24 Aug 2013 67,279 miles
Pass 20 Aug 2012 61,860 miles

Offside Rear Body has slight corrosion (6.1.B.2)

Pass 22 Aug 2011 57,335 miles

n/s outer sill slight corrosion

o/s/rear outer sill slight corrosion

Pass 26 Aug 2010 51,583 miles

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

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

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

Pass 25 Aug 2009 46,755 miles
Pass 14 Aug 2008 42,264 miles
Pass 21 Aug 2007 37,639 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2006 33,731 miles
Pass 24 Aug 2005 29,214 miles

o/s sill weak outer skin corrosion

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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R881 XEG is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

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 R881 XEG, 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 R881 XEG?

You can check the full history of R881 XEG by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R881 XEG registered?

R881 XEG is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 8 August 1997.

Is R881 XEG safe to buy?

The MOT history for R881 XEG shows 27 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R881 XEG 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 R881 XEG. 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.