CarVerify

Free Car Check

R896 VLT

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires28 Mar 2027
Tests24 (20 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate83.3%

Mileage

65,964 mi
Last recorded65,964 miles
Recorded on11 Mar 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
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR896 VLT
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 4 fail
Pass 11 Mar 2026 65,964 miles

Brake pedal wearing smooth rubber cover worn (1.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive outer sill borderline excessive (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Mar 2025 65,334 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))

Pass 19 Mar 2024 64,745 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2023 63,664 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive sill/arch (7.1.1 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Mar 2022 62,866 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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))

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

Fail 22 Mar 2022 62,864 miles

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

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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))

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

Pass 23 Mar 2021 61,389 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

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

Pass 7 May 2019 59,277 miles

Nearside Rear sill corroded

Rear diff damp

Pass 9 May 2018 57,996 miles

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

rear diff damp

Pass 9 May 2017 55,900 miles
Pass 5 May 2016 52,902 miles

Diff Leaking Oil

Engine Leaking Oil

Pass 12 May 2015 50,736 miles
Pass 8 May 2014 48,810 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2013 46,529 miles

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

both off side tyres wearing on edges

Fail 30 Apr 2013 46,529 miles

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

rear brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

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

both off side tyres wearing on edges

Pass 8 May 2012 44,480 miles

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

both off side tyres wearing on edges and perrishing

Pass 13 May 2011 41,390 miles
Fail 10 May 2011 41,380 miles

Nearside Body has a sharp edge caused by corrosion (6.1.C.1)

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

Pass 17 Feb 2010 36,426 miles
Pass 7 Feb 2009 35,502 miles

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

slight damage to n/s/r tyre outerwall

Pass 18 Feb 2008 34,334 miles
Fail 16 Feb 2008 34,304 miles

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

Steering column top mounting bracket insecure (2.1.2d)

Pass 17 Feb 2007 33,060 miles
Pass 24 Feb 2006 31,430 miles

Front brake pads wearing low

Slight movement in steering column

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R896 VLT is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 83.3%.

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 R896 VLT, 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 VLT?

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

What year was R896 VLT registered?

R896 VLT is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 28 August 1997.

Is R896 VLT safe to buy?

The MOT history for R896 VLT shows 24 tests with a 83.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R896 VLT 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 VLT. 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.