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R159 HDV

1998 Lotus Elise

Green Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires29 Apr 2027
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

79,922 mi
Last recorded79,922 miles
Recorded on28 Apr 2026
Typical for 1998 Lotus Elise48,523 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationR159 HDV
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1998
ColourGreen
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 6 fail
Pass 28 Apr 2026 79,922 miles
Pass 30 Apr 2025 78,218 miles

Nearside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Offside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 30 Apr 2025 78,218 miles

Nearside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Nearside Front fog lamp not working

Offside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 30 Apr 2025 78,218 miles

Front Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Nearside Front fog lamp not working

Offside Front Inner Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 4 Nov 2021 77,710 miles

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 15 Sep 2021 77,677 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e)) DANGEROUS

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

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

Pass 22 Sep 2020 77,324 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge 1.9mm and worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

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

Pass 11 Sep 2019 77,194 miles

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

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

Pass 13 Sep 2018 76,913 miles

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

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) both ()

Pass 29 Aug 2017 76,145 miles

Nearside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 10 Aug 2016 74,789 miles
Pass 19 Aug 2015 73,891 miles
Fail 13 Aug 2015 73,878 miles

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

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

slight noiseo/s/f w/bearing

Pass 7 Aug 2014 73,204 miles

Offside Lower Front suspension ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Pass 31 Jul 2013 72,223 miles

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 16 Jul 2012 71,266 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2011 69,243 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2010 67,806 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2009 66,084 miles
Pass 17 May 2008 64,519 miles
Pass 30 May 2007 62,784 miles
Fail 30 May 2007 62,782 miles

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

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

Fail 18 May 2007 62,666 miles

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

Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

front brak pads low

Fail 19 May 2006 60,135 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.C3)

Offside Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.C3)

Pass 19 May 2006 60,135 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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R159 HDV is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Green with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 76%.

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 R159 HDV, 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 R159 HDV?

You can check the full history of R159 HDV by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R159 HDV registered?

R159 HDV is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 4 June 1998.

Is R159 HDV safe to buy?

The MOT history for R159 HDV shows 25 tests with a 76% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R159 HDV 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 R159 HDV. 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.