CarVerify

Free Car Check

R989 SPO

1997 Mazda MX-5

Silver Petrol 1840cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires7 Aug 2026
Tests10 (8 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

45,482 mi
Last recorded45,482 miles
Recorded on6 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
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

RegistrationR989 SPO
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

8 pass 2 fail
Pass 6 Aug 2025 45,482 miles

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Inner sill corroded but not with 30cm of prescribed area

Pass 6 Aug 2024 44,759 miles

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

Offside Rear Outer sill holed and corroded but not within 30cm of prescribed area

Pass 8 Aug 2023 43,724 miles

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

Fail 1 Aug 2023 43,721 miles

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

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

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

Pass 24 Jun 2022 43,014 miles
Pass 25 Jun 2021 42,484 miles
Fail 22 Jun 2021 42,481 miles

Central Front Power steering pipe/hose leaking (2.1.5 (a))

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

Offside Front Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 22 Jun 2020 40,701 miles
Pass 25 May 2017 38,627 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules all x 4,( borderline ) been greased (3.6.B.4e)

Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened o/s & n/s (2.4.G.1)

Front Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened o/s & n/s (2.4.G.1)

Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened o/s & n/s (2.4.G.1)

Rear Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened o/s & n/s (2.4.G.1)

coil spring corroded all x 4 ,slight (2.4.C.1b)

unable to check certain items due to under tray fitted

Pass 2 Jun 2016 37,268 miles

Front Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all (2.4.G.1)

Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened all (2.4.G.1)

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

R989 SPO is a 1997 Mazda MX-5 in Silver with a 1,840cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 10 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 R989 SPO, 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 R989 SPO?

You can check the full history of R989 SPO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R989 SPO registered?

R989 SPO is a 1997 Mazda MX-5, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is R989 SPO safe to buy?

The MOT history for R989 SPO shows 10 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R989 SPO 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 R989 SPO. 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.