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ES04 APE

2008 Caterham Seven (S3)

Green Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Jul 2026
Tests19 (14 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate73.7%

Mileage

22,523 mi
Last recorded22,523 miles
Recorded on2 Jul 2025
Typical for 2008 Caterham Seven (S3)11,205 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationES04 APE
MakeCaterham
ModelSeven (S3)
Year2008
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,588cc

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 5 fail
Pass 2 Jul 2025 22,523 miles
Pass 30 Oct 2023 22,516 miles
Fail 30 Oct 2023 22,516 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover insecure so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

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

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 7 Nov 2022 21,903 miles
Pass 12 Nov 2021 21,146 miles

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 12 Nov 2021 21,144 miles

Nearside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

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

Offside Front Tyre not fitted in accordance with side wall instructions (5.2.3 (i))

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 8 Oct 2020 20,667 miles
Pass 10 May 2019 19,611 miles
Fail 10 May 2019 19,611 miles

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

Pass 13 Apr 2018 18,920 miles
Pass 9 May 2017 14,483 miles
Pass 16 May 2016 17,788 miles
Fail 2 May 2015 16,982 miles

Nearside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Front Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (4.1.D.1b)

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 2 May 2015 16,982 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 15 Jun 2013 15,657 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

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

Fail 15 Jun 2013 15,657 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

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

Pass 9 Nov 2012 15,258 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2012 12,696 miles
Pass 5 May 2011 11,646 miles

How Reliable is the Caterham Seven (S3)?

Based on 32,485 MOT tests across 2,453 vehicles.

86.1%
Pass Rate
613
Miles/Year
55
Year Lifespan
2,453
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Stop lamp not working 476
Steering rack gaiter split 309
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 206
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 188
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 185
Full Caterham Seven (S3) reliability report

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ES04 APE is a 2008 Caterham Seven (S3) in Green with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.7%.

Across all 2008 Caterham Seven (S3) models, the average MOT pass rate is 87.5% with a typical mileage of 11,205 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 Caterham Seven (S3) fails its MOT is stop lamp not working, accounting for 476 recorded failures. If you're considering buying ES04 APE, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Caterham Seven (S3) typically stays on UK roads for around 55 years. At 18 years old, this Caterham Seven (S3) is still in the earlier part of its expected life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of ES04 APE?

You can check the full history of ES04 APE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ES04 APE registered?

ES04 APE is a 2008 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 1 May 2008.

Is ES04 APE safe to buy?

The MOT history for ES04 APE shows 19 tests with a 73.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does ES04 APE 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 ES04 APE. 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.