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R905 LEL

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires27 Aug 2026
Tests25 (21 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate84%

Mileage

85,968 mi
Last recorded85,968 miles
Recorded on23 Aug 2025
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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR905 LEL
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

21 pass 4 fail
Pass 23 Aug 2025 85,968 miles

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Fail 23 Aug 2025 85,968 miles

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Front Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Pass 28 Aug 2024 75,758 miles
Pass 10 Aug 2023 67,631 miles

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

front and rear suspension components corroded

Pass 9 Aug 2022 63,333 miles

front and rear suspension components slightly corroded

Fail 3 Aug 2022 63,326 miles

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

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area strength or continuity significantly reduced inner sill (7.1.1 (a) (i))

front and rear suspension components slightly corroded

Pass 27 Jul 2021 60,944 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

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

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

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

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

clutch slave cylinder weeping

Pass 13 Aug 2020 60,230 miles

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

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

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

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

Fail 13 Aug 2020 60,230 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

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

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

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

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

Pass 6 Aug 2019 59,070 miles

both sills at the rear are corroded

most of the suspension components are corroded

Fail 6 Aug 2019 59,070 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Horn not working (7.7 (a) (ii))

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

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

both sills at the rear are corroded

most of the suspension components are corroded

Pass 14 Aug 2018 58,385 miles

Nearside rear outer sill corroded

Rear tyres heavily perished

Pass 17 Aug 2017 57,734 miles

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

Pass 22 Aug 2016 56,823 miles

Rear brake disks slightly corroded

Rear tyres perished

Pass 17 Aug 2015 55,806 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Nearside Rear sill corroded

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 6 Aug 2014 55,093 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

both rear tyres perished sidewalls

nearside rear sill slightly corroded

Pass 30 Jul 2013 54,120 miles
Pass 30 Jul 2012 53,077 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2011 51,132 miles

offside sill starting to corrode

Pass 27 Aug 2010 48,317 miles
Pass 4 Dec 2009 45,177 miles

Nearside Rear 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 10 Nov 2008 39,797 miles

Rear Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 3 Dec 2007 35,086 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2006 30,412 miles
Pass 1 Dec 2005 23,342 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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R905 LEL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84%.

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 R905 LEL, 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 R905 LEL?

You can check the full history of R905 LEL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R905 LEL registered?

R905 LEL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 15 August 1997.

Is R905 LEL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R905 LEL shows 25 tests with a 84% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R905 LEL 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 R905 LEL. 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.