CarVerify

Free Car Check

FP53 FHB

2003 Caterham 7

Red Petrol 1588cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Feb 2027
Tests21 (19 pass, 2 fail)
Pass rate90.5%

Mileage

34,871 mi
Last recorded34,871 miles
Recorded on19 Feb 2026
Typical for 2003 Caterham 716,312 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Caterham
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationFP53 FHB
MakeCaterham
Model7
Year2003
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,588cc
View full Caterham 7 reliability data

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

19 pass 2 fail
Pass 19 Feb 2026 34,871 miles

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

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 24 Jan 2025 33,446 miles
Pass 12 Feb 2024 32,434 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2022 31,098 miles
Pass 30 Nov 2021 30,242 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2020 27,802 miles
Pass 15 May 2019 24,962 miles

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

Nearside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

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

Offside Rear Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 16 May 2018 22,290 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 16 May 2018 22,290 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Offside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 7 Jun 2017 20,121 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2016 15,758 miles
Pass 21 Jul 2015 15,496 miles
Fail 8 Jul 2014 15,124 miles

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

Pass 8 Jul 2014 15,124 miles
Pass 22 May 2013 14,664 miles
Pass 18 May 2012 14,260 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2011 13,777 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2009 13,140 miles
Pass 19 Sep 2008 11,963 miles
Pass 4 Oct 2007 11,116 miles
Pass 6 Oct 2006 10,158 miles

How Reliable is the Caterham 7?

Based on 6,444 MOT tests across 473 vehicles.

87.5%
Pass Rate
570
Miles/Year
55
Year Lifespan
473
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Stop lamp not working 71
fog lamp not working 36
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 36
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 36
Steering rack gaiter split 35
Full Caterham 7 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

FP53 FHB is a 2003 Caterham 7 in Red with a 1,588cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 90.5%.

Across all 2003 Caterham 7 models, the average MOT pass rate is 87.9% with a typical mileage of 16,312 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a Caterham 7 fails its MOT is stop lamp not working, accounting for 71 recorded failures. If you're considering buying FP53 FHB, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Caterham 7 typically stays on UK roads for around 55 years. At 23 years old, this Caterham 7 is still in the earlier part of its expected life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of FP53 FHB?

You can check the full history of FP53 FHB by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was FP53 FHB registered?

FP53 FHB is a 2003 Caterham 7, first registered on 10 October 2003.

Is FP53 FHB safe to buy?

The MOT history for FP53 FHB shows 21 tests with a 90.5% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does FP53 FHB 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 FP53 FHB. 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.