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AU53 ESO

2003 Lotus Elise

Cream Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Sep 2026
Tests19 (15 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate78.9%

Mileage

33,373 mi
Last recorded33,373 miles
Recorded on2 Sep 2025
Typical for 2003 Lotus Elise33,657 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationAU53 ESO
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
ColourCream
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

15 pass 4 fail
Pass 2 Sep 2025 33,373 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2024 31,916 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2023 30,119 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2022 28,604 miles

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

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

Fail 7 Apr 2022 28,594 miles

Nearside Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 27 Jul 2020 28,404 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin On insides (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin On insides (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 27 Jul 2020 28,404 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin On insides (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (4.1.2 (a))

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

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin On insides (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 8 Jul 2019 28,040 miles

Front tyres perishing

Full under trays fitted

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

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

Suspension components corroded

Pass 29 Jan 2018 27,977 miles

Front tyres perishing

Full under trays fitted

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Suspension components corroded

Pass 27 Jun 2016 27,691 miles

Full under trays fitted

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Suspension components corroded

Wiper blade poor

Pass 4 Jun 2015 27,322 miles

1/front suspension components corroded

2/wiperblade poor

Nearside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 11 Apr 2014 26,891 miles

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

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

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 11 Apr 2014 26,891 miles

Offside Rear coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a) DANGEROUS

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b) DANGEROUS

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

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

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

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

offside rear upper coil spring mounting collar is slightly deteriorated/corroded

Fail 6 Nov 2013 26,802 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear Upper coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 1 Jun 2012 23,786 miles
Pass 3 Feb 2011 21,233 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2009 15,917 miles
Pass 29 May 2008 12,542 miles
Pass 2 Mar 2007 9,937 miles

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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AU53 ESO is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Cream with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.9%.

Across all 2003 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.4% with a typical mileage of 33,657 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 AU53 ESO, 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 23 years old, this Lotus Elise is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AU53 ESO?

You can check the full history of AU53 ESO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AU53 ESO registered?

AU53 ESO is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 12 September 2003.

Is AU53 ESO safe to buy?

The MOT history for AU53 ESO shows 19 tests with a 78.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AU53 ESO 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 AU53 ESO. 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.