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P989 GRA

1997 Caterham Seven (S3)

Green Petrol 1599cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 Jun 2027
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

27,267 mi
Last recorded27,267 miles
Recorded on22 May 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

RegistrationP989 GRA
MakeCaterham
ModelSeven (S3)
Year1997
ColourGreen
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 22 May 2026 27,267 miles
Pass 29 May 2025 26,399 miles
Pass 14 May 2024 25,226 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2023 24,707 miles
Fail 25 May 2023 24,706 miles

Nearside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Offside Rear Service brake excessively binding (1.2.1 (f))

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Pass 20 Apr 2022 24,687 miles

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

Pass 15 Apr 2021 24,452 miles
Pass 29 May 2019 23,853 miles

some under-tray rivets missing/separated

Pass 30 May 2018 23,785 miles

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

Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt both (2.1.3 (g) (i))

air leak at carb to manifold

fuel pipes perished

oil level low , oil on engine

under tray has some rivets missing

Fail 30 May 2018 23,785 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too far to the right (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt both (2.1.3 (g) (i))

air leak at carb to manifold

fuel pipes perished

oil level low , oil on engine

under tray has some rivets missing

Steering column modified such that the steering is adversely affected bolts were hitting brake master cylinder (2.1.3 (f) (ii))

Pass 24 Aug 2016 22,520 miles
Fail 26 Jul 2016 22,519 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar insecure (2.4.G.1)

Rear Brakes imbalanced across an axle Axle 2 (3.7.B.5b)

Spare wheel insecure (6.4.2)

Pass 27 Apr 2015 21,575 miles
Pass 24 Apr 2014 21,078 miles

Rear Torque/reaction arm has a slightly deteriorated rubber bush (2.4.G.2)

Fail 23 Apr 2014 21,078 miles

Brakes imbalanced across an axle (3.7.B.5b)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Rear Torque/reaction arm has a slightly deteriorated rubber bush (2.4.G.2)

Pass 9 May 2013 20,295 miles
Pass 2 Jul 2011 19,744 miles

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

Pass 31 Mar 2010 19,242 miles

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

Pass 17 Sep 2008 18,056 miles

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

Fail 17 Sep 2008 18,056 miles

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

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

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

Offside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 13 Sep 2007 17,077 miles
Pass 29 Mar 2006 15,464 miles
Fail 29 Mar 2006 15,464 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicators not working (1.4.A.2c)

Nearside Rear Braking system leaking (3.6.A.1)

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

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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P989 GRA is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3) in Green with a 1,599cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

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 P989 GRA, 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 P989 GRA?

You can check the full history of P989 GRA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was P989 GRA registered?

P989 GRA is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 1 February 1997.

Is P989 GRA safe to buy?

The MOT history for P989 GRA shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does P989 GRA 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 P989 GRA. 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.