CarVerify

Free Car Check

R970 MBL

1997 Mazda MX-5

Green Petrol 1839cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Sep 2026
Tests24 (21 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate87.5%

Mileage

43,625 mi
Last recorded43,625 miles
Recorded on25 Sep 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
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

RegistrationR970 MBL
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

21 pass 3 fail
Pass 25 Sep 2025 43,625 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill, inner wheel arch and outer sill areas (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sill, inner wheel arch and outer sill areas (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 23 Sep 2024 43,241 miles

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front tyre over 18 years old

Offside Rear outer body sill corroded

Rear Registration plate insecure but not likely to fall off (0.1 (a))

Pass 19 Sep 2023 42,835 miles

Coil spring corroded all (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Registration plate insecure but not likely to fall off (0.1 (a))

body sills/rear wheel arches corroded

Pass 14 Sep 2022 42,121 miles

both rear sills corroded

Pass 24 Sep 2021 41,495 miles

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

all coil spring corroded

both rear seal corroded

Fail 24 Sep 2021 41,495 miles

Service brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.2.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

all coil spring corroded

both rear seal corroded

Pass 24 Sep 2020 40,991 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

both rear seal corroded

Pass 24 Sep 2019 40,482 miles

Both body sills are corroded

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

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 19 Sep 2018 39,832 miles

Both body sills are corroded

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

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 19 Sep 2018 39,832 miles

Both body sills are corroded

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

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Sep 2017 39,230 miles

Oil leak ()

both front coil spring rusty

both rear seal starting to corroded

osf tyre perishing

Fail 20 Sep 2017 39,230 miles

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

Oil leak ()

both front coil spring rusty

both rear seal starting to corroded

osf tyre perishing

Pass 15 Sep 2016 38,860 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2015 38,500 miles
Pass 22 Sep 2014 38,329 miles
Pass 16 Sep 2013 38,061 miles

rear number plate distorted and insecure

Pass 19 Sep 2012 37,731 miles
Pass 6 Sep 2011 36,782 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2010 35,991 miles
Pass 18 Sep 2009 35,029 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2008 34,189 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2007 33,075 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2006 31,760 miles
Pass 30 Sep 2005 30,458 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

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

R970 MBL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Green with a 1,839cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 87.5%.

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 R970 MBL, 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 R970 MBL?

You can check the full history of R970 MBL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R970 MBL registered?

R970 MBL is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R970 MBL safe to buy?

The MOT history for R970 MBL shows 24 tests with a 87.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R970 MBL 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 R970 MBL. 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.