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B17 RSY

1997 Lotus Elise

Silver Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Jun 2027
Tests11 (7 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

56,636 mi
Last recorded56,636 miles
Recorded on13 Jun 2026
Typical for 1997 Lotus Elise47,496 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationB17 RSY
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

7 pass 4 fail
Pass 13 Jun 2026 56,636 miles

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 9 Sep 2023 56,574 miles
Pass 13 May 2022 56,466 miles

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both (5.2.3 (e))

Service brake binding but not excessively Both rear (1.2.1 (f))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Wiper smeary

Fail 12 May 2022 56,464 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Position lamp not working Both front (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Service brake excessively binding Both front (1.2.1 (f))

Stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released (4.3.2 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Service brake binding but not excessively Both rear (1.2.1 (f))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Wiper smeary

Pass 12 Apr 2014 56,397 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 11 Apr 2014 56,390 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 4 Jul 2009 56,267 miles

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

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

Fail 16 Apr 2008 55,625 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Pass 16 Apr 2008 55,625 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

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

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

Pass 16 Apr 2007 53,011 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Fail 2 Apr 2007 53,011 miles

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

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)

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order but not adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

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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B17 RSY is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Silver with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 11 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

Across all 1997 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.3% with a typical mileage of 47,496 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 B17 RSY, 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 29 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 B17 RSY?

You can check the full history of B17 RSY by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B17 RSY registered?

B17 RSY is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is B17 RSY safe to buy?

The MOT history for B17 RSY shows 11 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B17 RSY 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 B17 RSY. 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.