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R97 SKX

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1840cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Apr 2027
Tests25 (16 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate64%

Mileage

116,541 mi
Last recorded116,541 miles
Recorded on20 Apr 2026
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
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationR97 SKX
MakeMazda
ModelMX-5
Year1997
ColourSilver
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,840cc

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

16 pass 9 fail
Pass 20 Apr 2026 116,541 miles

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

front and rear suspension rusty

Fail 13 Apr 2026 116,538 miles

Dipswitch does not operate immediately when selected on main beam (4.1.3 (b))

Offside Front Coil spring fractured or broken (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material (1.1.11 (c))

front and rear suspension rusty

Pass 17 Oct 2024 116,012 miles
Fail 20 Dec 2021 116,008 miles

Dipswitch does not operate immediately when selected on main beam (4.1.3 (b))

Offside Front Seat belt damaged (7.1.2 (b) (i))

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

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

Pass 9 Oct 2020 114,634 miles
Fail 30 Sep 2020 114,633 miles

Central Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Nearside Brakes imbalanced across an axle (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Integral body structure corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced body sill (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake lagging in operation (1.2.1 (d))

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

Pass 5 Nov 2018 111,882 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 7 Nov 2017 111,464 miles
Fail 7 Nov 2017 111,464 miles

Battery insecure (1.9.1)

Pass 3 Nov 2016 110,268 miles
Fail 1 Nov 2016 110,266 miles

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

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively n/s and o/s (8.2.2)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Pass 30 Oct 2015 104,828 miles

Offside Front Seat belt stitching slightly frayed (5.2.2b)

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

Fail 30 Oct 2014 100,039 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 30 Oct 2014 100,039 miles

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Offside Front Seat belt damaged but webbing not significantly weakened (5.2.2a)

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

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

Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Pass 28 Oct 2013 95,853 miles
Fail 21 Oct 2013 95,773 miles

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

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

Pass 29 Oct 2012 91,373 miles

both sills corroded

nsr tyre worn on inner edge

Fail 29 Oct 2012 91,373 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

both sills corroded

nsr tyre worn on inner edge

Pass 1 Nov 2011 85,605 miles

front brake pads wearing low

n/s & o/s sill panels corroded

Pass 1 Nov 2010 79,765 miles
Fail 1 Nov 2010 79,763 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (4.1.D.1a)

Pass 23 Oct 2009 71,922 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2008 63,326 miles
Pass 30 Oct 2007 54,872 miles
Pass 27 Oct 2006 48,450 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 SKX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 64%.

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 R97 SKX, 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 SKX?

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

What year was R97 SKX registered?

R97 SKX is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 16 October 1997.

Is R97 SKX safe to buy?

The MOT history for R97 SKX shows 25 tests with a 64% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R97 SKX 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 SKX. 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.