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R155 DDW

1997 Lotus Elise

Yellow Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires1 Apr 2026
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

148,003 mi
Last recorded148,003 miles
Recorded on2 Apr 2025
Typical for 1997 Lotus Elise47,496 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR155 DDW
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1997
ColourYellow
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 7 fail
Pass 2 Apr 2025 148,003 miles
Fail 17 Mar 2025 147,921 miles

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

Pass 17 Jun 2023 147,681 miles
Pass 20 May 2022 147,544 miles
Pass 12 Feb 2021 147,251 miles
Pass 28 Feb 2020 146,982 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 1 Mar 2019 146,757 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 16 Feb 2018 146,515 miles
Pass 10 Mar 2017 146,144 miles
Pass 6 Jan 2016 145,775 miles
Fail 6 Jan 2016 145,775 miles

Nearside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)

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

Pass 22 Jan 2015 144,931 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

Pass 4 Jan 2014 143,642 miles
Pass 1 Nov 2012 140,637 miles

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

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

Pass 1 Nov 2011 137,331 miles

Offside Front Upper Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 22 Oct 2010 133,520 miles

Nearside Front Upper Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Upper Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Fail 16 Oct 2009 124,893 miles

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

Pass 16 Oct 2009 124,893 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2008 118,276 miles

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

Offside Front Upper Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

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

Pass 3 Nov 2008 118,276 miles

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

Offside Front Upper Ball joint has slight play (2.2.B.1f)

Pass 11 Oct 2007 112,678 miles
Fail 6 Oct 2007 112,678 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content excessive (7.3.B.1a)

Fail 24 Oct 2006 104,106 miles

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 24 Oct 2006 104,106 miles

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

Pass 9 Nov 2005 94,485 miles
Fail 26 Oct 2005 94,463 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (hotspot upper edge above the horizontal 0% line) (1.6.D1)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (hotspot upper edge above the horizontal 0% line) (1.6.D1)

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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R155 DDW is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Yellow with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

Across all 1997 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.3% with a typical mileage of 47,496 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 R155 DDW, 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 29 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 R155 DDW?

You can check the full history of R155 DDW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R155 DDW registered?

R155 DDW is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 31 December 1997.

Is R155 DDW safe to buy?

The MOT history for R155 DDW shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R155 DDW 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 R155 DDW. 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.