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R103 FRO

1998 Lotus Elise

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires12 Oct 2026
Tests23 (19 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate82.6%

Mileage

61,989 mi
Last recorded61,989 miles
Recorded on13 Oct 2025
Typical for 1998 Lotus Elise48,523 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

RegistrationR103 FRO
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

19 pass 4 fail
Pass 13 Oct 2025 61,989 miles

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing All Four. (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 10 Sep 2024 61,717 miles

Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing ALL FOUR (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Pass 4 Sep 2023 61,178 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 3 Sep 2022 60,327 miles
Fail 13 Jul 2022 60,326 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has negligible damping effect (5.3.2 (d))

Pass 14 Jul 2021 59,707 miles
Pass 20 Jul 2020 58,146 miles
Pass 15 Jul 2019 56,858 miles
Fail 15 Jul 2019 56,858 miles

Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 19 Jul 2018 56,189 miles
Pass 22 Jul 2017 55,779 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2015 53,871 miles
Fail 2 Feb 2015 53,871 miles

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 13 Feb 2014 52,415 miles
Pass 29 Jan 2013 50,916 miles
Pass 1 Feb 2012 48,944 miles

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

Pass 19 Feb 2011 48,042 miles
Fail 8 Feb 2011 48,042 miles

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 16 Feb 2010 46,461 miles
Pass 12 Feb 2009 42,753 miles
Pass 12 Feb 2008 40,020 miles
Pass 13 Feb 2007 36,840 miles
Pass 17 Feb 2006 32,726 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Outer Track rod end damaged but serviceable (2.2.C.1d)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside front brake juddering slightly (3.7.A.2b)

wiper poor

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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R103 FRO is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 82.6%.

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 R103 FRO, 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 R103 FRO?

You can check the full history of R103 FRO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R103 FRO registered?

R103 FRO is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 14 May 1998.

Is R103 FRO safe to buy?

The MOT history for R103 FRO shows 23 tests with a 82.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R103 FRO 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 R103 FRO. 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.