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P20 HPC

1997 Caterham Seven (S3)

Green Petrol 1998cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires24 Sep 2026
Tests24 (18 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

4,115 mi
Last recorded4,115 miles
Recorded on6 Sep 2025
Typical for 1997 Caterham Seven (S3)20,400 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP20 HPC
MakeCaterham
ModelSeven (S3)
Year1997
ColourGreen
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,998cc

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

18 pass 6 fail
Pass 6 Sep 2025 4,115 miles
Pass 21 Sep 2024 3,676 miles
Pass 25 Sep 2023 2,886 miles
Pass 27 Jun 2022 2,293 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2021 1,484 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2020 657 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2019 20,879 miles
Pass 20 Jun 2018 20,120 miles
Pass 14 Jun 2017 18,960 miles

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

Pass 1 Jul 2016 18,046 miles
Pass 2 Apr 2015 17,654 miles

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

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

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

Fail 2 Apr 2015 17,654 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the left. (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

Fail 1 Apr 2015 17,636 miles

Indicator tell tale inoperative (1.4.A.2a)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 19 Apr 2013 17,012 miles

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

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

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 16 Apr 2012 16,733 miles

transmission fluid leak

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

Oil leak

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

Fail 16 Apr 2012 16,733 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low and too far to the left. (1.8)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

Oil leak

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

transmission fluid leak

Fail 23 Mar 2012 16,706 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)

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

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

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

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

Oil leak

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

transmission fluid leak

Pass 14 Mar 2011 16,231 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)

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

Pass 8 Mar 2010 15,348 miles

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

Fail 5 Mar 2010 15,347 miles

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

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

Offside Front Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

Pass 19 Nov 2008 14,659 miles

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

Pass 31 Oct 2007 11,734 miles

Some play in the o/s/f wheel bearing.

Fail 29 Oct 2007 11,734 miles

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Some play in the o/s/f wheel bearing.

Pass 9 Jun 2006 8,303 miles

How Reliable is the Caterham Seven (S3)?

Based on 32,485 MOT tests across 2,453 vehicles.

86.1%
Pass Rate
613
Miles/Year
55
Year Lifespan
2,453
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Stop lamp not working 476
Steering rack gaiter split 309
Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 206
Parking brake: efficiency below requirements 188
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 185
Full Caterham Seven (S3) reliability report

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P20 HPC is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3) in Green with a 1,998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 24 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

Across all 1997 Caterham Seven (S3) models, the average MOT pass rate is 86.2% with a typical mileage of 20,400 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 Caterham Seven (S3) fails its MOT is stop lamp not working, accounting for 476 recorded failures. If you're considering buying P20 HPC, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Caterham Seven (S3) typically stays on UK roads for around 55 years. At 29 years old, this Caterham Seven (S3) is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of P20 HPC?

You can check the full history of P20 HPC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P20 HPC registered?

P20 HPC is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 8 July 1997.

Is P20 HPC safe to buy?

The MOT history for P20 HPC shows 24 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P20 HPC 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 P20 HPC. 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.