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B5 NUS

2001 Lotus Elise

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Oct 2026
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

73,933 mi
Last recorded73,933 miles
Recorded on13 Oct 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

RegistrationB5 NUS
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2001
ColourBlue
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 6 fail
Pass 13 Oct 2025 73,933 miles
Pass 3 Aug 2021 73,912 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2019 73,807 miles
Fail 30 Apr 2019 73,807 miles

Offside Side repeater incorrect colour (4.4.3 (a))

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2.30mm 225/45/17 also wearing on the inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 1.98mm 225/45/17 also wearing on the inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 11 May 2018 73,145 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.53mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.32mm (4.1.E.1)

Fail 1 May 2018 73,134 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.53mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.32mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 4 May 2017 72,113 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.22mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.10mm (4.1.E.1)

Fail 3 May 2017 72,078 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits Lambda @ 1.130 (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.22mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit 2.10mm (4.1.E.1)

Pass 14 Apr 2016 70,398 miles

Wiper smearing slightly

Very slight play in rear tracking arm joints

Pass 6 May 2015 69,667 miles

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

coolant level low

front wiper

Fail 30 Apr 2015 69,653 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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

Offside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

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

coolant level low

front wiper

Fail 18 Sep 2014 69,651 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Front registration plate incorrect (6.3.1a)

Rear registration plate incorrect (6.3.1a)

Pass 27 Sep 2013 67,717 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 27 Sep 2013 67,717 miles

Brake has no servo assistance (3.3.B.2)

Front front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Front front brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.5a)

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Front registration plate character(s) laid out in an incorrect format (6.3.4f)

Front registration plate margin less than the minimum requirement (6.3.4g)

Rear front brake application uneven (3.7.B.2)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Rear registration plate character(s) laid out in an incorrect format (6.3.4f)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 25 Aug 2012 65,563 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2011 64,135 miles
Pass 26 May 2010 60,916 miles
Pass 23 Apr 2009 58,588 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2008 53,403 miles
Pass 5 Apr 2007 50,171 miles
Pass 20 Feb 2006 39,106 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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B5 NUS is a 2001 Lotus Elise in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

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 B5 NUS, 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 B5 NUS?

You can check the full history of B5 NUS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was B5 NUS registered?

B5 NUS is a 2001 Lotus Elise, first registered on 5 October 2001.

Is B5 NUS safe to buy?

The MOT history for B5 NUS shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does B5 NUS 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 B5 NUS. 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.