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AO51 HDY

2001 Lotus Elise

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Aug 2026
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

79,635 mi
Last recorded79,635 miles
Recorded on2 Aug 2025
Typical for 2001 Lotus Elise38,622 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationAO51 HDY
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2001
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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

18 pass 5 fail
Pass 2 Aug 2025 79,635 miles
Pass 1 Jul 2024 79,392 miles

No reverse light

Under trays fitted

Pass 3 Apr 2023 78,743 miles
Pass 9 Mar 2022 78,350 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

handbrake performance low requirements only just met

Pass 19 Mar 2021 77,361 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Rear Parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Under trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 19 Jul 2019 74,977 miles

HANDBRAKE CABLE HEAVILY CORRODED

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear PARKING BRAKE REQUIREMENTS ONLY JUST MET

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge *ON LIMIT* (5.2.3 (e))

UNDER TRAYS FITTED,OBSCURING SOME UNDERSIDE COMPONENTS

Fail 19 Jul 2019 74,977 miles

HANDBRAKE CABLE HEAVILY CORRODED

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear PARKING BRAKE REQUIREMENTS ONLY JUST MET

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge *ON LIMIT* (5.2.3 (e))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

UNDER TRAYS FITTED,OBSCURING SOME UNDERSIDE COMPONENTS

Pass 26 Jul 2018 73,152 miles

Brake cable damaged but not to excess Parking brake cable heavily corroded and in poor condition (1.1.15 (a))

Fail 20 Jul 2018 73,148 miles

Front Registration plate incorrect (0.1 (c))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Brake cable damaged but not to excess Parking brake cable heavily corroded and in poor condition (1.1.15 (a))

Pass 8 Jul 2017 72,339 miles

nearside rear brake slight bind

slight up and down movement in offside front lower suspension arm ball joint

undertrays fitted

Pass 13 Jul 2016 69,747 miles

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 8 Jul 2016 69,589 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

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

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

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 15 Jul 2015 66,676 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 8 Jul 2014 66,534 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2012 64,936 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

ENGINE management light on. BRAKE warning light on.

Fail 25 Jul 2012 64,936 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

ENGINE management light on. BRAKE warning light on.

Pass 31 Jan 2011 57,234 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Nearside Inner Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Offside Inner Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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

Pass 29 Jan 2010 45,632 miles
Fail 13 Jan 2010 45,523 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Inner Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (1.8)

Windscreen has damage to an area in excess of a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to the swept area in excess of a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 20 Mar 2009 45,122 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2008 42,499 miles
Pass 22 Mar 2007 36,282 miles
Pass 24 Mar 2006 30,988 miles

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

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

How Reliable is the Lotus Elise?

Based on 150,954 MOT tests across 12,302 vehicles.

81.8%
Pass Rate
1,309
Miles/Year
30
Year Lifespan
12,302
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 3,173
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 3,131
Headlamp aim too high 3,014
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits 2,630
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive 1,898
Full Lotus Elise reliability report

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AO51 HDY is a 2001 Lotus Elise in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

Across all 2001 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.1% with a typical mileage of 38,622 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 Lotus Elise fails its MOT is exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive, accounting for 3,173 recorded failures. If you're considering buying AO51 HDY, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Elise typically stays on UK roads for around 30 years. At 25 years old, this Lotus Elise is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AO51 HDY?

You can check the full history of AO51 HDY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AO51 HDY registered?

AO51 HDY is a 2001 Lotus Elise, first registered on 1 November 2001.

Is AO51 HDY safe to buy?

The MOT history for AO51 HDY shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AO51 HDY 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 AO51 HDY. 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.