CarVerify

Free Car Check

J7 SDN

1998 Lotus Elise

Yellow Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires13 Aug 2026
Tests19 (16 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate84.2%

Mileage

78,642 mi
Last recorded78,642 miles
Recorded on14 Aug 2025
Typical for 1998 Lotus Elise48,523 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
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

RegistrationJ7 SDN
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1998
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

16 pass 3 fail
Pass 14 Aug 2025 78,642 miles
Pass 9 Aug 2024 77,630 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2023 76,134 miles

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play inner rack end (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play inner rack end (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

the exhaust flexy section is deteriorated

Pass 22 Jul 2022 75,120 miles

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

Steering linkage ball joint has slight play both sides front inner rack ends (2.1.3 (b) (i))

exhaust flexy section cracked

Pass 11 Aug 2021 73,449 miles

Nearside Front Steering linkage ball joint has slight play inner rack end (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

exhaust flexy section cracked

Pass 10 Aug 2020 72,592 miles
Pass 7 Aug 2019 72,184 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2018 71,528 miles

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

nearside rear brake binding slightly

Pass 30 May 2017 70,656 miles

Nearside Front Ball joint has slight play rack end (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 16 May 2017 70,650 miles

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases flexy section (7.1.2)

Nearside Rear Service brake grabbing severely (3.7.C.2)

Nearside Front Ball joint has slight play rack end (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 5 May 2016 69,711 miles
Pass 25 Jul 2014 69,469 miles

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

alarm light flashing on/off with car running

exhaust corroding/rusting

front and rear brake discs starting to corrode/slight pitting evident

Fail 24 Jul 2014 69,468 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

alarm light flashing on/off with car running

exhaust corroding/rusting

front and rear brake discs starting to corrode/slight pitting evident

Pass 11 Jul 2013 67,752 miles

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

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

Offside Inner Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Rear Brakes imbalanced requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.5b)

underside components corroded

Pass 9 Aug 2012 61,728 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 3 Aug 2012 61,710 miles

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 6 Apr 2009 60,432 miles
Pass 22 Feb 2008 58,921 miles
Pass 5 Oct 2006 57,932 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

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

J7 SDN is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Yellow with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 19 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84.2%.

Across all 1998 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.8% with a typical mileage of 48,523 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 J7 SDN, 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 28 years old, this Lotus Elise is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of J7 SDN?

You can check the full history of J7 SDN by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was J7 SDN registered?

J7 SDN is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 1 August 1998.

Is J7 SDN safe to buy?

The MOT history for J7 SDN shows 19 tests with a 84.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does J7 SDN 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 J7 SDN. 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.