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R896 CNY

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Feb 2027
Tests29 (18 pass, 11 fail)
Pass rate62.1%

Mileage

80,555 mi
Last recorded80,555 miles
Recorded on2 Feb 2026
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR896 CNY
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
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

18 pass 11 fail
Pass 2 Feb 2026 80,555 miles

Brake fluid close to minimum mark (1.1.10 (d) (ii))

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

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

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

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

Pass 11 Feb 2025 79,289 miles

Central Front Lower Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Fail 22 Aug 2024 79,168 miles

Central Front Lower Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Emissions unable to be completed Due to major leak of exhaust gases (8.2.1.2 (d))

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

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

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

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Pass 25 Jul 2023 73,940 miles
Fail 21 Jul 2023 73,940 miles

Offside Front Suspension component mounting prescribed area excessively damaged significantly reducing structural strength (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Aug 2022 72,635 miles
Fail 19 Aug 2022 72,635 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp levelling device inoperative (4.1.5 (a))

Pass 13 Jul 2020 72,183 miles
Fail 10 Jul 2020 72,183 miles

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

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Pass 27 Apr 2018 71,798 miles

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

Pass 11 Apr 2017 71,523 miles

all brake flexy ferrules slightly corroded

Fail 11 Apr 2017 71,523 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

all brake flexy ferrules slightly corroded

Pass 29 Mar 2016 71,376 miles

all brake flexi hose ferules slightly corroded

offside floor damaged

Pass 30 Apr 2014 70,862 miles

all coil springs slightly corroded

all shock absorber casings slightly corroded

front suspension components slightly corroded

offside floor slightly damaged

rear suspension components slightly corroded

slight corrosion on all brake flexy brake hose ferrules

slight wear in rear brake discs

Fail 25 Apr 2014 70,862 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside front brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

Offside front brake excessively fluctuating (3.7.B.3)

slight wear in front brake discs

all brake discs slightly corroded

all coil springs slightly corroded

all shock absorber casings slightly corroded

front suspension components slightly corroded

offside floor slightly damaged

rear suspension components slightly corroded

slight corrosion on all brake flexy brake hose ferrules

slight drag at offside front wheel

Pass 12 Apr 2013 69,082 miles

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

Fail 11 Apr 2013 69,080 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 14 Mar 2012 62,702 miles
Fail 9 Mar 2012 62,701 miles

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

Pass 8 Jul 2011 60,974 miles

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

Pass 12 Jul 2010 59,101 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2009 56,974 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2008 54,629 miles

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

Non obligatory mirror damaged

Fail 11 Jul 2008 54,629 miles

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

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

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

Non obligatory mirror damaged

Pass 12 Jul 2007 52,259 miles
Fail 12 Jul 2007 52,259 miles

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

Fail 10 Jul 2006 50,157 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Pass 10 Jul 2006 50,157 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2005 47,905 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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R896 CNY is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 62.1%.

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 R896 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 R896 CNY?

You can check the full history of R896 CNY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R896 CNY registered?

R896 CNY is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 30 August 1997.

Is R896 CNY safe to buy?

The MOT history for R896 CNY shows 29 tests with a 62.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R896 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 R896 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.