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R952 WJH

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1839cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Nov 2026
Tests26 (20 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76.9%

Mileage

119,893 mi
Last recorded119,893 miles
Recorded on17 Nov 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR952 WJH
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

20 pass 6 fail
Pass 17 Nov 2025 119,893 miles

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Fail 5 Nov 2025 119,810 miles

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 6 Nov 2024 116,863 miles
Fail 31 Oct 2024 116,861 miles

Nearside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Nearside Registration plate lamp does not illuminate simultaneously with the position lamps (4.7.2 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 1 Nov 2023 114,620 miles
Fail 17 Aug 2023 114,618 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

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

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

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

both closing panels very rusty

brake pipes rusty

front + rear suspension very rusty

front pads getting low

nsr inner sill very rusty

osf brake binding slightly

Pass 1 Feb 2022 106,780 miles
Pass 2 Feb 2021 102,529 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2020 99,955 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2019 96,782 miles
Pass 29 Jan 2018 93,856 miles

Oil leak ()

under covers fitted obscuring some testable components.

Pass 20 Jan 2017 91,314 miles

general under body corrosion

under cover fitted

Fail 20 Jan 2017 91,307 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

general under body corrosion

under cover fitted

Pass 19 Jan 2016 89,578 miles

general under body corrosion

under cover fitted

Pass 3 Feb 2015 87,243 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

general under body corrosion

Pass 22 Jan 2014 84,660 miles

general underbody corrosion

wiper blades deteriorated

Pass 5 Feb 2013 82,759 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Pass 13 Feb 2012 80,317 miles
Pass 10 May 2011 75,334 miles

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Fail 6 May 2011 75,174 miles

Nearside Rear Road wheel badly damaged (4.2.A.1a)

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

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 7 May 2010 63,493 miles

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Fail 29 Apr 2010 63,296 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

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

Offside Rear Vehicle structure has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a)

Front brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Rear Road wheel with a slightly distorted bead rim (4.2.A.1a)

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

Vehicle structure has slight corrosion (6.1.A.1)

Pass 12 May 2009 53,434 miles
Pass 25 Jun 2008 52,917 miles
Pass 29 Jun 2007 51,381 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2006 50,330 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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R952 WJH is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76.9%.

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 R952 WJH, 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 R952 WJH?

You can check the full history of R952 WJH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R952 WJH registered?

R952 WJH is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 5 August 1997.

Is R952 WJH safe to buy?

The MOT history for R952 WJH shows 26 tests with a 76.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R952 WJH 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 R952 WJH. 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.