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P801 SMX

1997 Caterham Seven (S3)

Red Petrol 1599cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires25 Apr 2027
Tests28 (21 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

33,481 mi
Last recorded33,481 miles
Recorded on21 Apr 2026
Typical for 1997 Caterham Seven (S3)20,400 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationP801 SMX
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

21 pass 7 fail
Pass 21 Apr 2026 33,481 miles
Pass 25 Apr 2025 32,610 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 25 Apr 2025 32,610 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Spare wheel insecure in carrier (6.1.5 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 25 Apr 2024 32,460 miles
Fail 25 Apr 2024 32,460 miles

Rear Registration plate inscription illegible (0.1 (b))

Pass 21 Apr 2023 32,021 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Apr 2022 31,779 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2021 31,493 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot severely deteriorated (6.1.7 (g) (i))

Pass 14 Apr 2020 31,317 miles

advise slight play in n/s/f wheel bearing

Pass 23 Apr 2019 31,106 miles

Vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced (6.1.1 (c) (i))

Pass 26 Apr 2018 30,705 miles

Hazard warning light switch is sticking slightly

Pass 20 Apr 2017 30,495 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 25 Apr 2016 30,130 miles
Fail 25 Apr 2016 30,121 miles

Front registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 21 Apr 2015 29,931 miles

Nearside Rear Drive shaft which forms part of the suspension coupling gaiter damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.4e)

Fail 20 Apr 2015 29,930 miles

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

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

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

Rear Rear fog lamp has less than 50% of the light sources illuminating (1.3.2b)

Nearside Rear Drive shaft which forms part of the suspension coupling gaiter damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.4e)

Pass 10 Apr 2014 29,651 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 23 Apr 2013 29,321 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Pass 13 Apr 2012 29,065 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2011 28,743 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2010 28,342 miles
Pass 17 Apr 2009 28,111 miles
Fail 17 Apr 2009 28,111 miles

Offside Front Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Pass 22 Apr 2008 27,349 miles

corrosion in body and chassis

Fail 29 Mar 2008 27,348 miles

Nearside Front suspension has excessive play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Rear Fuel system component leaking (7.2.3)

corrosion in body and chassis

Pass 17 Apr 2007 27,061 miles
Fail 4 Apr 2007 27,035 miles

Offside Front Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Nearside Front Front suspension has slight play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.7)

Pass 6 Mar 2006 26,733 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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P801 SMX is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3) in Red with a 1,599cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 28 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 P801 SMX, 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 P801 SMX?

You can check the full history of P801 SMX by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P801 SMX registered?

P801 SMX is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 20 April 1997.

Is P801 SMX safe to buy?

The MOT history for P801 SMX shows 28 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 P801 SMX 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 P801 SMX. 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.