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PWU 434

1998 Lotus Elise

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires21 Dec 2026
Tests25 (21 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate84%

Mileage

11,590 mi
Last recorded11,590 miles
Recorded on22 Dec 2025
Typical for 1998 Lotus Elise48,523 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationPWU 434
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1998
ColourRed
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,796cc

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 4 fail
Pass 22 Dec 2025 11,590 miles

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

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

Offside Front 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 (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 22 Dec 2025 11,590 miles

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

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

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

Offside Front 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 (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Fail 10 Nov 2025 11,589 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

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

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

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

Offside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

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

Rear Service brake binding but not excessively (1.2.1 (f))

Pass 26 Nov 2024 11,399 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 25 Oct 2023 11,070 miles

Front Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

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

Rear Inner Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Rear Service brake fluctuating, but not excessively (1.2.1 (e))

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

Pass 25 Oct 2022 11,025 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2021 10,977 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2020 10,916 miles

Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated n/s o/s (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Pass 6 Nov 2019 10,838 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2018 10,752 miles

Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated Perished (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Under guards and body panels preventing full inspection of some components

Pass 6 Nov 2017 10,677 miles
Pass 3 Nov 2016 10,580 miles

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front tyre starting to crack

under trays fitted

Fail 1 Nov 2016 10,580 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front tyre starting to crack

under trays fitted

Pass 11 Nov 2015 10,460 miles
Fail 10 Nov 2015 10,459 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 7 Nov 2014 10,349 miles
Pass 5 Nov 2013 10,201 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2012 9,991 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 27 Oct 2011 9,832 miles
Pass 26 Oct 2010 9,692 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2009 9,326 miles
Pass 3 Nov 2008 8,986 miles
Pass 8 Nov 2007 8,724 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2006 8,549 miles
Pass 25 Nov 2005 8,349 miles

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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PWU 434 is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 84%.

Across all 1998 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.8% with a typical mileage of 48,523 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

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 PWU 434, 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 28 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 PWU 434?

You can check the full history of PWU 434 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was PWU 434 registered?

PWU 434 is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 24 November 1998.

Is PWU 434 safe to buy?

The MOT history for PWU 434 shows 25 tests with a 84% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does PWU 434 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 PWU 434. 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.