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ET03 PWE

2003 Lotus Elise

Yellow Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires4 Sep 2026
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

73,352 mi
Last recorded73,352 miles
Recorded on5 Sep 2025
Typical for 2003 Lotus Elise33,657 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationET03 PWE
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
ColourYellow
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

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 5 Sep 2025 73,352 miles
Pass 17 May 2024 71,607 miles
Pass 7 Jun 2023 70,356 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2022 70,286 miles
Pass 22 Nov 2021 69,943 miles
Fail 18 Nov 2021 69,932 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

Offside Position lamp with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.2.1 (a) (i))

Pass 19 Nov 2020 69,508 miles

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Fail 19 Nov 2020 69,508 miles

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 13 May 2019 68,557 miles

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

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

Pass 24 May 2018 67,951 miles

Both rear dampers corroded

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 23 May 2017 67,117 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm synthetic bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement Moved inside wishbone (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Fail 19 May 2017 67,117 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Nearside Rear Trailing arm synthetic bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement Moved inside wishbone (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 20 May 2016 65,944 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Fail 20 May 2016 65,944 miles

Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

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

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 5 May 2015 64,809 miles
Pass 15 May 2014 58,579 miles
Pass 3 May 2013 50,355 miles
Pass 8 May 2012 46,150 miles
Pass 21 May 2011 35,754 miles
Pass 17 May 2010 27,432 miles
Pass 7 May 2009 21,132 miles
Fail 7 May 2009 21,132 miles

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 12 May 2008 16,424 miles
Pass 24 May 2007 9,736 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2006 9,228 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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ET03 PWE is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Yellow with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 ET03 PWE, 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 ET03 PWE?

You can check the full history of ET03 PWE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was ET03 PWE registered?

ET03 PWE is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 22 August 2003.

Is ET03 PWE safe to buy?

The MOT history for ET03 PWE shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does ET03 PWE 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 ET03 PWE. 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.