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P166 DPC

1997 Lotus Elise

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 May 2027
Tests25 (20 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate80%

Mileage

105,888 mi
Last recorded105,888 miles
Recorded on26 May 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

RegistrationP166 DPC
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

20 pass 5 fail
Pass 26 May 2026 105,888 miles
Pass 8 May 2025 104,022 miles
Pass 10 May 2024 101,116 miles

Offside Front Headlamp has a product on the light source but not seriously reducing light output headlamp corroded (4.1.4 (b))

Pass 19 May 2023 98,418 miles

Nearside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Fog lamp lens cracked

Offside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 20 May 2022 94,686 miles
Fail 1 Nov 2021 94,490 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Stop lamp(s) not working (4.3.1 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Pass 5 Nov 2020 90,979 miles
Pass 15 Oct 2019 88,215 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 8 Nov 2018 81,561 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

Pass 17 Oct 2017 73,297 miles

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 16 Oct 2017 73,297 miles

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

Offside Front Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 11 Jul 2016 66,393 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2015 61,699 miles

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)

slight play in steering rack

Fail 6 Jul 2015 61,699 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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)

slight play in steering rack

Fail 8 Jul 2014 60,633 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 8 Jul 2014 60,633 miles

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)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 10 Jul 2013 59,767 miles

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

Pass 9 Jul 2012 58,629 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2011 57,629 miles

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Pass 8 Jul 2010 56,696 miles
Pass 30 Jun 2009 55,857 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2008 54,557 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2007 53,072 miles
Fail 5 Jul 2007 53,069 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Pass 24 Jul 2006 51,550 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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P166 DPC is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 80%.

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 P166 DPC, 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 P166 DPC?

You can check the full history of P166 DPC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P166 DPC registered?

P166 DPC is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is P166 DPC safe to buy?

The MOT history for P166 DPC shows 25 tests with a 80% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P166 DPC 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 P166 DPC. 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.