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MC53 AOV

2003 Lotus Elise

Grey Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Dec 2026
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

82,774 mi
Last recorded82,774 miles
Recorded on10 Nov 2025
Typical for 2003 Lotus Elise33,657 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationMC53 AOV
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
ColourGrey
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 6 fail
Pass 10 Nov 2025 82,774 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 3 Dec 2024 80,331 miles
Fail 3 Dec 2024 90,331 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.3 (a))

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the right. (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 7 Dec 2023 78,131 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2022 76,036 miles
Pass 24 Feb 2022 75,052 miles

engine and under body covers

Pass 26 Feb 2021 73,578 miles

Coil spring corroded All 4 coil springs corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (4.4.3 (a))

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Pass 28 Feb 2020 72,785 miles
Pass 22 Feb 2019 70,742 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2018 67,579 miles
Pass 24 Feb 2017 63,950 miles
Fail 8 Feb 2017 63,752 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Offside Front All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Offside Rear brake disc in such a condition that it is seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

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

UNDER TRAYS FITTED NOT ALLOWING FULL INSPECTION OF VEHICLE

Pass 6 Jan 2016 53,541 miles
Pass 17 Oct 2014 51,447 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

Pass 18 Oct 2013 49,306 miles

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

Fail 8 Oct 2013 49,232 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Offside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

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

Pass 16 Oct 2012 46,130 miles

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.1.A.3b)

Fail 5 Oct 2012 46,118 miles

Brake cable has wires broken and is significantly weakened (3.5.1b)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear position lamp(s) has light sources not illuminating, but not more than 50% (1.1.A.3b)

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

Pass 7 Oct 2011 42,201 miles

front discs have small cracks

Pass 6 Oct 2010 37,147 miles

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

rear discs corroded

Fail 24 Sep 2010 37,140 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Nearside Rear Brake lever has restricted free movement (3.5.1k)

Nearside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

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

rear discs corroded

Pass 1 Apr 2009 27,508 miles
Fail 26 Mar 2009 27,319 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

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

Pass 25 Mar 2008 18,097 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2007 10,055 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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MC53 AOV is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Grey with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

Across all 2003 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.4% with a typical mileage of 33,657 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 MC53 AOV, 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 23 years old, this Lotus Elise is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of MC53 AOV?

You can check the full history of MC53 AOV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was MC53 AOV registered?

MC53 AOV is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 18 October 2003.

Is MC53 AOV safe to buy?

The MOT history for MC53 AOV shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does MC53 AOV 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 MC53 AOV. 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.