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P123 WBM

1997 Lotus Elise

Silver Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Jun 2027
Tests16 (11 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate68.8%

Mileage

105,490 mi
Last recorded105,490 miles
Recorded on2 Jun 2026
Typical for 1997 Lotus Elise47,496 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationP123 WBM
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

11 pass 5 fail
Pass 2 Jun 2026 105,490 miles

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Nearside Rear Service brake requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair (1.2.1 (c))

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 9 Jun 2025 105,417 miles
Pass 3 Oct 2023 105,309 miles
Pass 23 Sep 2022 105,220 miles

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 22 Sep 2022 105,220 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 26 Aug 2022 105,198 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Anti-roll bar ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Front Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 9 Jun 2021 105,101 miles

Nearside Front Inner Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Offside Front Inner Drag link end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Pass 29 Aug 2018 96,465 miles

Nearside Front Wheel bearing slightly noisy (5.1.3 (b) (i))

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

Pass 20 Nov 2014 89,304 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 20 Nov 2014 89,304 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 26 Sep 2013 88,939 miles

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

Nearside Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Offside Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 28 Jun 2012 88,183 miles

Offside Front Front wheel bearing has slight play (2.5.A.3c)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 9 Aug 2010 82,483 miles

crack in o.s.f main beam lens

play in n.s steering rack

wiper very smeary

Pass 3 Jul 2008 81,316 miles
Fail 2 Jul 2008 81,316 miles

Centre Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has excessive play (2.6.2)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

Fail 3 May 2008 81,304 miles

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

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

some play in n/s rack. some play in n/s/f suspension

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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P123 WBM is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Silver with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.8%.

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 P123 WBM, 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 P123 WBM?

You can check the full history of P123 WBM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P123 WBM registered?

P123 WBM is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 27 June 1997.

Is P123 WBM safe to buy?

The MOT history for P123 WBM shows 16 tests with a 68.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P123 WBM 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 P123 WBM. 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.