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C5 PRM

1997 Lotus Elise

Purple Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires29 May 2026
Tests16 (8 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate50%

Mileage

88,782 mi
Last recorded88,782 miles
Recorded on30 May 2025
Typical for 1997 Lotus Elise47,496 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationC5 PRM
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1997
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

8 pass 8 fail
Pass 30 May 2025 88,782 miles
Fail 30 May 2025 88,779 miles

Central Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 10 Nov 2022 87,952 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 10 Nov 2022 87,952 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Rear Exhaust mounting defective (6.1.2 (a))

Fail 1 Jun 2022 87,905 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Coil spring corroded All four coil springs corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Corroded (1.1.11 (c))

Offside Rear Inner Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated Rearmost tie rod (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Fail 22 May 2021 87,867 miles

Emissions not tested CO Excessively high (8.2.1.2 (d))

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Rear Exhaust system insecure Exhaust mounting missing (6.1.2 (a))

Coil spring corroded All four spring and dampers heavily corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing Perished in tread (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Rear Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material Corrosion to both metal front to rear brake pipes (1.1.11 (c))

Pass 15 Jun 2011 84,599 miles

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

Fail 1 Jun 2011 84,528 miles

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.D.1)

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

Pass 3 Jun 2010 75,095 miles
Fail 27 May 2010 75,018 miles

Nearside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (4.1.D.1f)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 2 Jun 2009 70,660 miles

Nearside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 30 May 2008 65,914 miles

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Pass 25 Apr 2007 58,484 miles
Fail 18 Apr 2007 58,474 miles

Nearside Rear coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Offside Front coil spring incomplete (2.4.C.1a)

Pass 30 Mar 2006 50,862 miles
Fail 28 Mar 2006 50,862 miles

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

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar synthetic bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar synthetic bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

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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C5 PRM is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Purple with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 50%.

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 C5 PRM, 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 C5 PRM?

You can check the full history of C5 PRM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was C5 PRM registered?

C5 PRM is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is C5 PRM safe to buy?

The MOT history for C5 PRM shows 16 tests with a 50% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does C5 PRM 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 C5 PRM. 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.