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C21 ARL

2005 Lotus Elise

Purple Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires22 Jul 2027
Tests18 (14 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

72,995 mi
Last recorded72,995 miles
Recorded on23 Jul 2026
Typical for 2005 Lotus Elise31,970 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationC21 ARL
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2005
ColourPurple
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

14 pass 4 fail
Pass 23 Jul 2026 72,995 miles

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

Pass 21 Jul 2025 65,809 miles
Pass 18 Jul 2024 65,099 miles
Pass 26 May 2021 64,844 miles
Fail 18 May 2021 64,786 miles

Brake cable damaged (1.1.15 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Offside Front Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Rear Undertray insecure (8.1.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Passenger's seat insecure (6.2.6 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Front Driver's seat insecure (6.2.5 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Front Obligatory mirror slightly loose (3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Obligatory mirror slightly loose (3.3 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 2 Apr 2019 64,297 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s and o/s front (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Valve stem slightly damaged (5.2.3 (j))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s and o/s rear (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Valve stem slightly damaged (5.2.3 (j))

Fail 2 Apr 2019 64,297 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s and o/s front (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Front Valve stem slightly damaged (5.2.3 (j))

Nearside Front Obligatory mirror missing (3.3 (a))

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened n/s and o/s rear (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Valve stem slightly damaged (5.2.3 (j))

Pass 11 Jan 2018 63,387 miles

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

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

Fail 11 Jan 2018 63,385 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

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

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

Pass 15 Oct 2016 62,222 miles
Fail 15 Oct 2016 62,222 miles

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)

Pass 9 Sep 2015 57,468 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2014 49,158 miles
Pass 9 Sep 2013 44,741 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2011 43,049 miles
Pass 14 Sep 2010 40,299 miles

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

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

Pass 15 Sep 2009 31,142 miles

n/s/f headlamp aim slightly low.

suspect front & rear [inner] brakes pads worn low.

Pass 2 Sep 2008 24,832 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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C21 ARL is a 2005 Lotus Elise in Purple with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 2005 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 84.7% with a typical mileage of 31,970 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 C21 ARL, 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 21 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 C21 ARL?

You can check the full history of C21 ARL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C21 ARL registered?

C21 ARL is a 2005 Lotus Elise, first registered on 2 September 2005.

Is C21 ARL safe to buy?

The MOT history for C21 ARL shows 18 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C21 ARL 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 C21 ARL. 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.