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P898 BUT

1996 Lotus Elise

Silver Petrol 1998cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires12 Jan 2026
Tests25 (17 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate68%

Mileage

60,996 mi
Last recorded60,996 miles
Recorded on13 Jan 2025
Typical for 1996 Lotus Elise48,015 mi

Above average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationP898 BUT
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1996
ColourSilver
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

17 pass 8 fail
Pass 13 Jan 2025 60,996 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2023 60,933 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2022 60,924 miles
Pass 2 Nov 2021 60,885 miles
Pass 28 Sep 2020 60,828 miles
Pass 26 Apr 2019 6,049 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2018 59,947 miles
Pass 3 Apr 2017 59,158 miles
Fail 27 Mar 2017 59,074 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 after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Rear Rear position lamp(s) adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.1.A.3f)

Nearside Stop lamp adversely affected by the operation of another lamp (1.2.1f)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 22 Mar 2016 57,715 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2014 52,422 miles
Pass 7 May 2013 52,422 miles
Fail 23 Apr 2013 52,422 miles

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)

Front registration plate incorrect (6.3.1a)

Pass 20 Apr 2012 48,258 miles
Fail 20 Apr 2012 48,258 miles

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)

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Nearside Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Fail 19 May 2011 47,716 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 Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 15 Apr 2010 42,156 miles
Fail 15 Apr 2010 42,156 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Pass 17 Nov 2009 39,915 miles
Fail 17 Nov 2009 39,914 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Nearside Front Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Horn not loud enough to be heard by another road user (1.6.2b) DANGEROUS

Pass 29 Jan 2008 31,979 miles
Fail 28 Jan 2008 31,979 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Pass 5 Feb 2007 31,050 miles
Fail 5 Feb 2007 31,049 miles

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)

Pass 7 Feb 2006 30,137 miles

Emission values difficult to attain

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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P898 BUT is a 1996 Lotus Elise in Silver with a 1,998cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68%.

Across all 1996 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 75.9% with a typical mileage of 48,015 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 P898 BUT, 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 30 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 P898 BUT?

You can check the full history of P898 BUT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P898 BUT registered?

P898 BUT is a 1996 Lotus Elise, first registered on 15 November 1996.

Is P898 BUT safe to buy?

The MOT history for P898 BUT shows 25 tests with a 68% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P898 BUT 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 P898 BUT. 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.