2001 Mazda 626 2.0L Petrol · HX51 AWC

The 2001 Mazda 626 passed its most recent MOT on 4 May 2022 at 156,730 miles with no defects recorded, indicating a currently roadworthy status. The underlying maintenance trend is mixed rather than clearly stable or worsening: the vehicle cleared its final test cleanly, yet the preceding two years exposed serious structural and braking faults that required rectification. A buyer should treat the clean 2022 pass as a snapshot, not a guarantee of long-term integrity given the age and the prior failure pattern. The recorded mileage shows remarkably low annual use for a 25-year-old car, averaging roughly 6,269 miles per year against the 156,730 total. Between 23 March 2021 (155,880 miles) and 24 June 2021 (156,159 miles) the car covered only 279 miles, then added just 571 miles to the May 2022 test. Such minimal accumulation suggests extended periods of standing, which accelerates perishing of rubber components and corrosion of structural metal. The sparse record itself offers little insight beyond the flagged items, with only five tests shown across the period provided. The June 2021 failure exposed excessive corrosion at the offside rear outer suspension mounting area, a prescribed structural region, severely reducing strength; this was compounded by a non-working nearside front dipped beam and a slightly perished nearside rear tyre. The March 2021 failure showed parking brake efficiency below requirement, pointing to neglected rear brake adjustment or worn calipers. Whoever owned the car through 2021 skipped basic upkeep, letting structural rust and brake faults reach failure level before acting. In person, a buyer must inspect the offside rear suspension mounting and surrounding floor for recurring corrosion, confirm the parking brake holds efficiently, and check all headlamp functions. Examine every tyre for sidewall cracking from standing. Verify the 2022 pass did not mask unresolved rust by viewing the car on a ramp.