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L18 RCS

1997 Lotus Elise

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Aug 2026
Tests21 (15 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate71.4%

Mileage

54,773 mi
Last recorded54,773 miles
Recorded on4 Aug 2025
Typical for 1997 Lotus Elise47,496 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationL18 RCS
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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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

15 pass 6 fail
Pass 4 Aug 2025 54,773 miles
Fail 1 Aug 2025 54,762 miles

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

Pass 9 Aug 2024 53,750 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2023 52,887 miles
Pass 29 Apr 2022 51,444 miles
Pass 9 Apr 2021 51,154 miles
Pass 19 Mar 2020 50,805 miles
Fail 18 Mar 2020 50,804 miles

Stop lamp(s) all not working (4.3.1 (a) (iii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 27 Mar 2019 50,265 miles
Pass 20 Apr 2018 49,812 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2016 49,190 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2016 49,190 miles

Headlamp aim too high Both (1.8)

Pass 9 Feb 2016 48,966 miles
Fail 20 Jan 2016 48,961 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear Tie bar/rod has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

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

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 29 May 2015 48,548 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Panhard rod has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 27 May 2010 48,402 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Fail 26 May 2010 48,402 miles

Rear Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 29 May 2009 48,043 miles
Fail 22 May 2009 48,043 miles

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

Nearside Inner Ball joint socket spring weak (2.2.B.1e)

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

Pass 10 May 2008 46,915 miles
Pass 1 Sep 2006 46,330 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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L18 RCS is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 71.4%.

Across all 1997 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.3% with a typical mileage of 47,496 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 L18 RCS, 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 29 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 L18 RCS?

You can check the full history of L18 RCS by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L18 RCS registered?

L18 RCS is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 1 August 1997.

Is L18 RCS safe to buy?

The MOT history for L18 RCS shows 21 tests with a 71.4% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L18 RCS 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 L18 RCS. 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.