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BU08 XBW

2008 Caterham Seven (S3)

Orange Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Apr 2027
Tests20 (15 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

21,971 mi
Last recorded21,971 miles
Recorded on17 Apr 2026
Typical for 2008 Caterham Seven (S3)11,205 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Caterham
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Finance
Write-off
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationBU08 XBW
MakeCaterham
ModelSeven (S3)
Year2008
ColourOrange
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,588cc

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 5 fail
Pass 17 Apr 2026 21,971 miles
Fail 7 Apr 2026 21,967 miles

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 16 Apr 2025 21,171 miles

Offside Front Nail in tyre Was O/S/R until rotation of the wheels ()

Pass 13 Apr 2024 20,088 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play Both (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 20 Apr 2023 19,109 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 22 Apr 2022 18,717 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

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

Pass 1 Apr 2021 17,963 miles

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

Nearside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Pass 11 May 2019 15,920 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Fail 11 May 2019 15,920 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 26 May 2018 15,126 miles
Pass 13 Apr 2017 14,181 miles
Fail 13 Apr 2017 14,181 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 14 Apr 2016 12,615 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2015 11,390 miles

Nearside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Pass 23 Apr 2014 10,125 miles

nearside rear coil spring platform sitting low compared to offside rear

Pass 4 May 2013 8,781 miles
Fail 4 May 2013 8,781 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 10 Apr 2012 7,609 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Fail 10 Apr 2012 7,607 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Front position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Pass 25 Feb 2011 5,755 miles

How Reliable is the Caterham Seven (S3)?

Based on 32,485 MOT tests across 2,453 vehicles.

86.1%
Pass Rate
613
Miles/Year
55
Year Lifespan
2,453
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Stop lamp not working 476
Steering rack gaiter split 309
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 206
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 188
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 185
Full Caterham Seven (S3) reliability report

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BU08 XBW is a 2008 Caterham Seven (S3) in Orange with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 2008 Caterham Seven (S3) models, the average MOT pass rate is 87.5% with a typical mileage of 11,205 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 Caterham Seven (S3) fails its MOT is stop lamp not working, accounting for 476 recorded failures. If you're considering buying BU08 XBW, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Caterham Seven (S3) typically stays on UK roads for around 55 years. At 18 years old, this Caterham Seven (S3) is still in the earlier part of its expected life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of BU08 XBW?

You can check the full history of BU08 XBW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BU08 XBW registered?

BU08 XBW is a 2008 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 1 March 2008.

Is BU08 XBW safe to buy?

The MOT history for BU08 XBW shows 20 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BU08 XBW 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 BU08 XBW. 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.