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FD55 SWU

2006 Caterham Seven (S3)

Orange Petrol 1588cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires16 Oct 2026
Tests24 (17 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate70.8%

Mileage

38,350 mi
Last recorded38,350 miles
Recorded on17 Oct 2025
Typical for 2006 Caterham Seven (S3)13,584 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Caterham
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Vehicle Details

RegistrationFD55 SWU
MakeCaterham
ModelSeven (S3)
Year2006
ColourOrange
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

17 pass 7 fail
Pass 17 Oct 2025 38,350 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Fail 16 Oct 2025 38,347 miles

Hazard warning switch inoperative (4.4.2 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (5.3.6 (a) (i))

Pass 15 Oct 2024 37,949 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 14 Sep 2023 37,600 miles

Nearside Rear Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Offside Front Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 22 Sep 2022 37,349 miles
Fail 22 Sep 2022 37,345 miles

Main beam tell-tale not working (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim not tested (4.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp aim not tested (4.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

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

Rear fog lamp tell-tale not working at switch on dash (4.9.1 (a) (ii))

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

Pass 17 Sep 2021 37,079 miles

Brake disc worn, but not excessively ALL brake discs (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Fail 14 Sep 2021 37,075 miles

Offside Rear Tyre has a tear, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Brake disc worn, but not excessively ALL brake discs (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Pass 18 Sep 2020 36,816 miles

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

Pass 25 Sep 2019 36,612 miles

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

Offside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 5 Oct 2018 36,323 miles

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

Pass 10 Oct 2017 36,028 miles
Fail 10 Oct 2017 36,022 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 28 Oct 2016 35,505 miles

Oil leak engine and gearbox ()

Fail 13 Oct 2016 35,501 miles

Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam both (1.7.5a)

Front Headlamp not working on main beam both (1.7.5a)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

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

Oil leak engine and gearbox ()

Pass 7 Sep 2015 35,143 miles

exhaust manifold middle bolt slack

oil leak

Fail 25 Aug 2015 35,135 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp indicator illuminates when full beam selected (1.7.5c)

Offside Driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.A.3)

exhaust manifold middle bolt slack

oil leak

Pass 27 Aug 2014 32,782 miles

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 23 Aug 2013 31,109 miles

Nearside Headlamp affected by the operation of another lamp (1.7.5c)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside mirror loose.

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Fail 19 Aug 2013 31,097 miles

Brake pedal anti-slip provision missing (3.3.A.1b)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside Headlamp affected by the operation of another lamp (1.7.5c)

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside mirror loose.

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 11 Aug 2012 26,228 miles
Pass 25 Aug 2011 21,318 miles
Pass 11 Jun 2010 20,106 miles
Pass 19 Jan 2009 12,330 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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FD55 SWU is a 2006 Caterham Seven (S3) in Orange with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 70.8%.

Across all 2006 Caterham Seven (S3) models, the average MOT pass rate is 86.5% with a typical mileage of 13,584 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 FD55 SWU, 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 20 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 FD55 SWU?

You can check the full history of FD55 SWU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FD55 SWU registered?

FD55 SWU is a 2006 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 27 January 2006.

Is FD55 SWU safe to buy?

The MOT history for FD55 SWU 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 FD55 SWU 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 FD55 SWU. 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.