CarVerify

Free Car Check

R111 VVC

1998 Lotus Elise

Yellow Petrol 1987cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires14 May 2027
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

78,864 mi
Last recorded78,864 miles
Recorded on15 May 2026
Typical for 1998 Lotus Elise48,523 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this Lotus
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR111 VVC
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1998
ColourYellow
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,987cc

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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 15 May 2026 78,864 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2025 77,790 miles
Pass 28 Mar 2024 76,070 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2023 75,377 miles
Pass 11 Feb 2022 74,643 miles
Pass 26 May 2020 74,299 miles
Pass 23 Dec 2019 74,276 miles
Pass 7 Apr 2018 73,814 miles
Pass 8 Apr 2017 73,402 miles
Pass 30 Jan 2016 72,331 miles
Pass 28 Oct 2014 71,929 miles
Fail 24 Oct 2014 71,923 miles

Offside Steering pivot point has excessive play (2.2.B.1g)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 7 Aug 2013 71,270 miles
Pass 12 Aug 2011 70,527 miles
Fail 29 Jul 2011 70,527 miles

Front Anti-roll bar linkage has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Hydraulic brake cylinder leaking hydraulic fluid (3.6.A.1)

Offside Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 5 Aug 2010 65,487 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

slight corrosion & pitting on both front & nearside rear brake discs

slight play at offside of steering rack

Fail 4 Aug 2010 65,487 miles

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

slight corrosion & pitting on both front & nearside rear brake discs

slight play at offside of steering rack

Fail 16 Jul 2010 65,139 miles

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

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Nearside Front Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Emission test incomplete due to engine temp. CO too high

N/s/f brake disc scored

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

O/s/f braje disc pitting

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Splash shields obscuring view below vehicle

Pass 21 Jul 2009 60,295 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

slight play at offside of steering rack

Fail 7 Jul 2009 60,046 miles

Front passenger door cannot be opened from outside the vehicle (6.2.B.1b)

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

Nearside Front wheel bearing has excessive play (2.5.A.3c)

Nearside Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

slight play at offside of steering rack

Pass 4 Aug 2008 53,816 miles
Fail 22 Jul 2008 53,816 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose ferrule excessively corroded (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Steering rack gaiter split (2.2.D.2d)

Rear fog lamp missing (1.3.2a)

Offside Rear Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

offside front,nearside rear & offside rear flexi brake hose ferrules corroded

Fail 24 Jul 2007 47,909 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Outer Rear Upper Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Pass 24 Jul 2007 47,909 miles

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Outer Rear Upper Suspension arm has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Nearside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Offside outer track rod end joint cover split/missing

Pass 14 Jul 2006 46,005 miles

Nearside Steering rack gaiter deteriorated (2.2.D.2d)

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R111 VVC is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Yellow with a 1,987cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

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 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 R111 VVC, 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 R111 VVC?

You can check the full history of R111 VVC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R111 VVC registered?

R111 VVC is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 31 December 1998.

Is R111 VVC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R111 VVC shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R111 VVC 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 R111 VVC. 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.