2019 Mazda MX-5 1.5L Petrol · BF19 USM

The most recent MOT from June 2025 passed with no unsafe defects, recording 13,510 miles. The only advisories were slight cracking or perishing on both rear tyres. No other mechanical or structural issues were noted, and every previous test since 2022 was completely clean. This is an encouragingly straightforward record for a seven-year-old sports car. There is no recurring mechanical fault pattern here. The tyre condition looks to be a one-off observation rather than a worsening trend, and it is almost certainly linked to the vehicle’s light use. With just 1,930 miles per year on average, the car has spent long periods standing. That can age rubber faster than miles do, which explains why the rear tyres are now showing surface crazing despite likely having plenty of tread depth. Such low mileage is ambiguous: it means less wear on the engine, gearbox, clutch, brakes, and suspension, but it also raises questions about under-use. Cars that sit unused for weeks on end can suffer from flattened battery cells, sticky brake calipers, internal corrosion if moisture builds up in the engine, and hardening of belts and hoses.