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L3 SBE

1997 Lotus Elise

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Jul 2026
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

54,296 mi
Last recorded54,296 miles
Recorded on10 Jul 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

RegistrationL3 SBE
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1997
ColourBlue
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

19 pass 4 fail
Pass 10 Jul 2025 54,296 miles

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Fail 10 Jul 2025 54,296 miles

Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Fuel cap/sealing device ineffective (6.1.3 (b) (i))

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Coolant leak ()

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Nearside Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule (1.1.12 (f) (i))

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 18 Jun 2024 54,296 miles
Pass 26 May 2023 54,095 miles
Pass 21 May 2022 53,641 miles
Pass 29 May 2021 53,362 miles
Fail 7 May 2021 53,324 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 15 Apr 2019 52,684 miles

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

Nearside front inner tie rod has slight play.

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 28 Mar 2018 51,816 miles

Central Front To Rear Under Covers/Diffuser Fitted Obscuring Some Testable Items

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush D Bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Fail 23 Mar 2018 51,816 miles

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

Nearside Rear Track rod end ball joint has excessive play Track Control Arm (2.2.B.1f)

Central Front To Rear Under Covers/Diffuser Fitted Obscuring Some Testable Items

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has slight play in a pin/bush D Bush (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Pass 4 Nov 2016 50,629 miles
Fail 4 Nov 2016 50,627 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar rubber mounting bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar rubber mounting bonding deteriorated resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Pass 29 Sep 2015 49,677 miles

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

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

Rear under tray fitted covering most under vehicle components

Pass 25 Sep 2014 48,107 miles
Pass 27 Sep 2013 47,691 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2012 46,942 miles

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

Pass 27 Sep 2011 46,391 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2010 45,269 miles

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

Pass 30 Sep 2009 43,809 miles
Pass 24 Sep 2008 42,043 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2007 39,914 miles
Pass 24 Oct 2006 37,113 miles
Pass 9 Nov 2005 33,419 miles

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

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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L3 SBE is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

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 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 L3 SBE, 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 L3 SBE?

You can check the full history of L3 SBE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was L3 SBE registered?

L3 SBE is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 4 April 1997.

Is L3 SBE safe to buy?

The MOT history for L3 SBE shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does L3 SBE 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 L3 SBE. 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.