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POD 57N

1997 Caterham Seven (S3)

Blue Petrol 1599cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires23 Jun 2026
Tests20 (17 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85%

Mileage

33,443 mi
Last recorded33,443 miles
Recorded on24 Jun 2025
Typical for 1997 Caterham Seven (S3)20,400 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationPOD 57N
MakeCaterham
ModelSeven (S3)
Year1997
ColourBlue
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 3 fail
Pass 24 Jun 2025 33,443 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2024 30,272 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2023 28,954 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Lower A frame rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Fail 16 Jun 2023 28,953 miles

Offside Rear All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Lower A frame rear bush (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 11 Apr 2022 28,773 miles

Front Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement N/S+O/S (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement N/S+O/S ball joint bushes (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Front Wheel bearing has slight play N/S+O/S (5.1.3 (a) (i))

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

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Suspension component ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 9 Mar 2021 28,358 miles

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement LOWER TRUNNION HAS SLIGHT PLAY WITHIN PIVOT/BUSHINGS AND HAS SLIGHT LIFT WITHIN TRUNNION THREAD (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2MM TREAD ONLY (LIMIT=1.6MM) (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3MM TREAD (5.2.3 (e))

Fail 9 Mar 2021 28,358 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content excessive (8.2.1.2 (b))

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement LOWER TRUNNION HAS SLIGHT PLAY WITHIN PIVOT/BUSHINGS AND HAS SLIGHT LIFT WITHIN TRUNNION THREAD (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 2MM TREAD ONLY (LIMIT=1.6MM) (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 3MM TREAD (5.2.3 (e))

Pass 11 Oct 2019 27,472 miles

Nearside Front Windscreen wiper blade defective (3.4 (b) (i))

Fail 3 Jun 2019 27,456 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

Oil leak, but not excessive from engine (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Oil leak, but not excessive from transmission (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Pass 5 Jun 2018 27,191 miles

All direction indicators flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

Offside Rear Road wheel slightly distorted (5.2.2 (c) (i))

front wipers split but still clear the screen

light misting of oil to engine

slight travel to park brake

Pass 5 Jan 2017 26,300 miles
Pass 5 Feb 2016 25,576 miles
Pass 21 Apr 2015 24,309 miles
Pass 16 May 2014 23,076 miles
Pass 31 May 2013 21,488 miles

Offside Rear Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 9 Nov 2011 17,983 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2010 15,751 miles

Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

Pass 8 Jun 2009 7,903 miles

Amatuer built car therefore visual emissions test.

Rear Parking brake: parking brake efficiency only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.C.1b)

Pass 10 Jun 2008 2,099 miles
Pass 26 May 2006 1,978 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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POD 57N is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3) in Blue with a 1,599cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85%.

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 POD 57N, 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 POD 57N?

You can check the full history of POD 57N by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was POD 57N registered?

POD 57N is a 1997 Caterham Seven (S3), first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is POD 57N safe to buy?

The MOT history for POD 57N shows 20 tests with a 85% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does POD 57N 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 POD 57N. 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.