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BU53 KWO

2003 Lotus Elise

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Aug 2027
Tests29 (20 pass, 9 fail)
Pass rate69%

Mileage

68,894 mi
Last recorded68,894 miles
Recorded on27 Jul 2026
Typical for 2003 Lotus Elise33,657 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationBU53 KWO
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
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

20 pass 9 fail
Pass 27 Jul 2026 68,894 miles
Pass 28 Jul 2025 68,460 miles
Fail 28 Jul 2025 68,458 miles

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 5 Aug 2024 67,482 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2023 65,500 miles

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

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

Pass 5 May 2022 63,077 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Fail 2 May 2022 63,075 miles

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Lower Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Pass 6 May 2021 58,725 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 6 Nov 2020 57,803 miles

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

Fail 27 Oct 2020 57,795 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Wheel bearing rough when rotated (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

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

Pass 12 Apr 2019 51,537 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2018 47,445 miles
Fail 18 Apr 2018 47,445 miles

Front Inner Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Rear Inner Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 25 Apr 2017 43,606 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit wearing on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

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

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

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit wearing on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Fail 24 Apr 2017 43,604 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit wearing on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

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

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

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit wearing on inner edge (4.1.E.1)

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

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

Pass 13 Jun 2016 40,816 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2015 39,575 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 11 Jun 2015 39,575 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2014 36,671 miles

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 5 Jun 2014 36,669 miles

Rear Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 24 May 2013 34,872 miles
Fail 23 May 2013 34,870 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

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

Pass 12 Dec 2011 32,671 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2010 30,214 miles
Pass 24 Nov 2009 27,872 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2008 32,824 miles
Fail 2 Dec 2008 23,821 miles

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

Pass 26 Nov 2007 19,694 miles

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

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

Pass 27 Nov 2006 14,627 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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BU53 KWO is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 29 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69%.

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 BU53 KWO, 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 BU53 KWO?

You can check the full history of BU53 KWO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was BU53 KWO registered?

BU53 KWO is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 25 November 2003.

Is BU53 KWO safe to buy?

The MOT history for BU53 KWO shows 29 tests with a 69% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does BU53 KWO 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 BU53 KWO. 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.