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CN53 CVL

2003 Lotus Elise

Purple Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Jun 2027
Tests26 (21 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80.8%

Mileage

46,103 mi
Last recorded46,103 miles
Recorded on4 Jun 2026
Typical for 2003 Lotus Elise33,657 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationCN53 CVL
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
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

21 pass 5 fail
Pass 4 Jun 2026 46,103 miles
Pass 18 Jun 2025 44,097 miles
Pass 10 Jun 2024 40,537 miles

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

Pass 19 Jun 2023 37,979 miles

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

Pass 16 Jun 2022 37,322 miles

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

Pass 8 Jun 2021 36,566 miles

Nearside Front Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Nearside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

Pass 5 Jun 2020 36,156 miles
Pass 8 Mar 2019 33,134 miles
Pass 16 Nov 2017 32,785 miles
Pass 10 Dec 2016 31,630 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2015 30,114 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2015 30,092 miles

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

Pass 20 Nov 2014 28,344 miles
Pass 19 Nov 2014 28,329 miles

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Fail 19 Nov 2014 28,329 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Pass 11 Jan 2014 26,552 miles

front coil springs slightly corroded

front lower suspension arms slightly corroded

front upper suspension arms slightly corroded

rear coil springs slightly corroded

Fail 23 Dec 2013 26,549 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Rear Brake cable has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

front luggage compartment unable to open so not able to check brake master cylinder

Pass 20 Dec 2012 24,164 miles

front inner brake pads getting very low

slight corrosion and lips to front and rear brake discs

Pass 17 Dec 2011 21,684 miles
Pass 15 Jan 2011 16,369 miles

Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Offside Rear front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Offside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

Rear front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

all brake discs on car are badly coroded reducing brake effort overall !!

Pass 26 Jan 2010 7,376 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2008 5,992 miles
Fail 9 Dec 2008 5,992 miles

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

Pass 17 Dec 2007 5,197 miles
Fail 17 Dec 2007 5,197 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 14 Dec 2006 4,106 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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CN53 CVL is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Purple with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80.8%.

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 CN53 CVL, 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 CN53 CVL?

You can check the full history of CN53 CVL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was CN53 CVL registered?

CN53 CVL is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 29 December 2003.

Is CN53 CVL safe to buy?

The MOT history for CN53 CVL shows 26 tests with a 80.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does CN53 CVL 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 CN53 CVL. 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.