CarVerify

Free Car Check

R962 GSC

1997 Mazda MX-5

White Petrol 1598cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires8 Aug 2026
Tests20 (13 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate65%

Mileage

124,468 mi
Last recorded124,468 miles
Recorded on9 Aug 2025
Typical for 1997 Mazda MX-585,711 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR962 GSC
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourWhite
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

13 pass 7 fail
Pass 9 Aug 2025 124,468 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2024 122,611 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2023 122,501 miles
Pass 27 May 2021 121,212 miles

Both door mirrors secured with tape

Diff leaking oil

Fail 17 May 2021 121,209 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Obligatory mirror insecure (3.3 (b) (ii))

Diff leaking oil

Offside Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 1 Aug 2019 118,968 miles

Coolant leak ()

TRACK CAR

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

Fail 26 Jul 2019 118,964 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting missing (5.3.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar attachment bracket/mounting likely to become detached (5.3.3 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Coolant leak ()

TRACK CAR

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

Pass 28 Jul 2017 118,147 miles
Fail 2 Jun 2017 118,128 miles

Electrical wiring insecure under body (1.9.2a)

Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings outer sill (6.1.B.2)

Under body tray insecure and fouling steering rack gaiters.

Pass 2 Mar 2016 116,327 miles

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

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

cllutch padel anti slip missing

Fail 1 Mar 2016 116,326 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b)

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Parking brake lever is impeded in its travel (3.1.6c)

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

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

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

cllutch padel anti slip missing

Pass 11 Apr 2014 110,163 miles
Fail 11 Apr 2014 110,163 miles

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

Pass 9 Feb 2010 105,831 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

o/s/r brake slightly binding

o/s/r tyre cracking

Pass 3 Feb 2009 100,993 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2008 91,486 miles
Fail 5 Feb 2008 91,486 miles

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

Pass 19 Mar 2007 90,048 miles

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

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

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

Pass 14 Jul 2006 85,331 miles
Fail 30 Jun 2006 85,163 miles

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

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

R962 GSC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in White with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 65%.

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 R962 GSC, 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 R962 GSC?

You can check the full history of R962 GSC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R962 GSC registered?

R962 GSC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 29 August 1997.

Is R962 GSC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R962 GSC shows 20 tests with a 65% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R962 GSC 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 R962 GSC. 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.