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DG53 FMF

2003 Lotus Elise

Grey Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Apr 2027
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

37,322 mi
Last recorded37,322 miles
Recorded on17 Apr 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

RegistrationDG53 FMF
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
ColourGrey
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

17 pass 7 fail
Pass 17 Apr 2026 37,322 miles
Pass 9 Jun 2025 36,803 miles
Fail 7 Jul 2023 36,792 miles

Stop lamp(s) remains on when the brakes are released (4.3.2 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 1 Jul 2022 36,316 miles
Fail 24 Jun 2022 36,316 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Windscreen wiper not working (3.4 (a))

Offside Front Outer Tyre has ply or cords exposed wall (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 4 Mar 2021 35,976 miles

under cover trays front to rear of car

Fail 3 Mar 2021 35,976 miles

Service brake excessively binding all brakes binding (1.2.1 (f))

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

under cover trays front to rear of car

Pass 26 Jun 2019 34,642 miles

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing corroded (5.3.2 (b))

all suspension arms and hubs are corroded

Fail 20 Jun 2019 34,640 miles

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has slight external damage to the casing corroded (5.3.2 (b))

all suspension arms and hubs are corroded

Pass 29 Nov 2016 33,645 miles
Pass 4 Mar 2016 33,166 miles

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

has underbody panels restricting inspection

Fail 4 Mar 2016 33,166 miles

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

Front registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Front registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct height (6.3.4a)

Front registration plate with character(s) which are not the correct width (6.3.4a)

Nearside Front Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

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

has underbody panels restricting inspection

Pass 13 Aug 2015 32,779 miles
Pass 31 Oct 2014 32,386 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 19 Oct 2013 32,159 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar slightly distorted (2.4.G.1)

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 30 Oct 2012 31,715 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2012 31,715 miles

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

Front Windscreen wiper not operating automatically when switched on (8.2.1b)

Pass 25 Oct 2011 31,292 miles

all brake discs slightly corroded

engine management light on

Pass 22 Oct 2010 30,287 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2009 26,835 miles

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

Pass 13 Oct 2008 23,107 miles

near side front and rear tyres have cuts to side walls not deep enough to reach cords

Pass 2 Oct 2007 18,685 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2006 16,108 miles
Fail 27 Sep 2006 16,047 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)

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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DG53 FMF is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Grey with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

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 DG53 FMF, 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 DG53 FMF?

You can check the full history of DG53 FMF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was DG53 FMF registered?

DG53 FMF is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 15 October 2003.

Is DG53 FMF safe to buy?

The MOT history for DG53 FMF shows 24 tests with a 70.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does DG53 FMF 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 DG53 FMF. 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.