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P321 HTV

1997 Caterham Seven (S3)

Red Petrol 1599cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Apr 2027
Tests23 (18 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate78.3%

Mileage

26,920 mi
Last recorded26,920 miles
Recorded on2 Apr 2026
Typical for 1997 Caterham Seven (S3)20,400 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP321 HTV
MakeCaterham
ModelSeven (S3)
Year1997
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,599cc

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 5 fail
Pass 2 Apr 2026 26,920 miles
Pass 2 Apr 2025 26,696 miles

battery poorly secured.

Fail 24 Mar 2025 26,689 miles

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

Nearside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

battery poorly secured.

Pass 7 Mar 2024 26,499 miles
Pass 7 Mar 2023 26,058 miles
Pass 17 Feb 2022 25,752 miles

Offside Rear Nail in tyre ()

Pass 17 Mar 2021 25,539 miles
Fail 15 Mar 2021 25,525 miles

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

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

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

Pass 19 Dec 2019 25,154 miles

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

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

Fail 28 Aug 2019 25,142 miles

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (1.2.1 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Oil leak, but not excessive rear diff (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 6 Sep 2018 24,586 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

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

Rear Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing all (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Pass 12 Sep 2017 24,072 miles

Front tyres wearing on the inner edges of the tread.

all tyres perishing

exhaust deteriorating.

reg plates deteriorating.

Pass 24 Jul 2015 23,484 miles

Front registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Fail 24 Jul 2015 23,484 miles

Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Front registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Rear registration plate delaminated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 17 Jul 2014 22,729 miles
Pass 16 Jul 2013 21,667 miles

registration plates deteriorating

Pass 12 Jul 2012 21,267 miles
Pass 11 Jul 2011 20,953 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2009 20,586 miles
Pass 20 Aug 2008 19,688 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2008 19,688 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre fouling a part of the vehicle (4.1.D.2)

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

Pass 11 Jun 2007 17,358 miles
Pass 26 May 2006 16,438 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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P321 HTV is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3) in Red with a 1,599cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 78.3%.

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 P321 HTV, 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 P321 HTV?

You can check the full history of P321 HTV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P321 HTV registered?

P321 HTV is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 1 May 1997.

Is P321 HTV safe to buy?

The MOT history for P321 HTV shows 23 tests with a 78.3% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P321 HTV 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 P321 HTV. 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.