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R963 GSC

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Nov 2026
Tests19 (12 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate63.2%

Mileage

84,778 mi
Last recorded84,778 miles
Recorded on19 Nov 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR963 GSC
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

12 pass 7 fail
Pass 19 Nov 2025 84,778 miles
Fail 13 Nov 2025 84,773 miles

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

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Nov 2024 83,225 miles
Pass 19 Nov 2022 82,929 miles

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security inner sills and prescribes areas (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Nearside Inner Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced poor repairs in inner/outer sill (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Offside Front Inner Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced poor sill (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Rear Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Fail 12 Nov 2022 82,926 miles

Front Outer Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced both wheel arch x2 (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Outer Integral body structure or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of a body mounting sill (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Front Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (0.1 (b))

Integral body structure or chassis corroded within 30cm of a mounting, but not seriously affecting overall security inner sills and prescribes areas (6.2.2 (d) (i))

Nearside Inner Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Offside Front Inner Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced poor sill (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Inner Integral body structure is repaired but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced sill (6.1.1 (d) (i))

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Rear Suspension component corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))

Pass 19 May 2016 82,862 miles

Body has slight corrosion under body and sills,repaired not inadequately (6.1.B.2)

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

Nearside Front Brake Discs back plate corrded

Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules Both (3.6.B.4e)

Pass 15 May 2013 81,230 miles
Fail 11 May 2013 81,230 miles

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

Nearside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Offside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Pass 11 May 2012 72,980 miles
Fail 28 Apr 2012 72,976 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Nearside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Offside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Pass 9 May 2011 66,633 miles
Pass 11 May 2010 64,412 miles
Pass 23 Jul 2009 62,716 miles

all four suspension arms & subframs corroded but notholed

Fail 21 Jul 2009 62,716 miles

Nearside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Nearside Front coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Front coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

all four suspension arms & subframs corroded but notholed

Pass 16 Jul 2008 60,695 miles

o/s and n/s rear outer sills heavy under-sealed.

Fail 10 Jul 2008 60,628 miles

Nearside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

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

Offside Rear Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

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

Pass 14 Jul 2007 58,600 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2006 56,122 miles

front subframe rusty

front wishbones rusty

fuel pipes corroded

Fail 11 Apr 2006 56,122 miles

Nearside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Nearside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is excessively corroded (5.2.6)

Offside Front brake disc excessively pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Front brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

front subframe rusty

front wishbones rusty

fuel pipes corroded

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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R963 GSC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.2%.

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 R963 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 R963 GSC?

You can check the full history of R963 GSC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R963 GSC registered?

R963 GSC is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 29 August 1997.

Is R963 GSC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R963 GSC shows 19 tests with a 63.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R963 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 R963 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.