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R97 MJH

1997 Mazda MX-5

Red Petrol 1598cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Aug 2026
Tests19 (17 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate89.5%

Mileage

65,059 mi
Last recorded65,059 miles
Recorded on12 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
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR97 MJH
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,598cc

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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

17 pass 2 fail
Pass 12 Aug 2025 65,059 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2024 64,599 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2023 64,405 miles
Pass 18 Mar 2022 64,036 miles
Pass 25 Feb 2021 63,556 miles
Pass 11 Dec 2019 62,754 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 18 Dec 2018 60,280 miles

corrosion to nearside and offside rear inner wheel arch/ end of sills but not within 30cm of any prescribed ares

Fail 13 Dec 2018 60,256 miles

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

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

Nearside Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Offside Service brake effort inadequate at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (i))

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

corrosion to nearside and offside rear inner wheel arch/ end of sills but not within 30cm of any prescribed ares

Pass 21 Jul 2015 60,164 miles

both rear outer sills corroded

Fail 21 Jul 2015 60,164 miles

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

both rear outer sills corroded

Pass 7 Aug 2014 60,101 miles
Pass 15 Aug 2013 59,888 miles

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

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

Pass 9 Aug 2012 59,334 miles

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

Offside Front Seat belt anchorage prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.2.6)

Pass 9 Aug 2011 57,649 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2010 55,352 miles

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

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

Pass 4 Aug 2009 52,430 miles

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

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

Pass 7 Aug 2008 48,988 miles

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

Pass 14 Aug 2007 44,653 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2006 39,594 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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R97 MJH is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Red with a 1,598cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 89.5%.

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 R97 MJH, 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 R97 MJH?

You can check the full history of R97 MJH by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R97 MJH registered?

R97 MJH is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 8 August 1997.

Is R97 MJH safe to buy?

The MOT history for R97 MJH shows 19 tests with a 89.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R97 MJH 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 R97 MJH. 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.