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R20 ELE

1997 Lotus Elise

Silver Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Sep 2026
Tests15 (10 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

64,475 mi
Last recorded64,475 miles
Recorded on11 Sep 2025
Typical for 1997 Lotus Elise47,496 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

RegistrationR20 ELE
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1997
ColourSilver
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

10 pass 5 fail
Pass 11 Sep 2025 64,475 miles

Coil spring corroded all 4 coil springs (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

Pass 25 Jun 2024 62,475 miles

Central Stop lamp(s) with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.3.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

underside suspension components corroded

Fail 19 Jun 2024 62,475 miles

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

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn vertical movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Nearside Front Tyre has a bulge, caused by separation or partial failure of its structure (5.2.3 (d) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Central Stop lamp(s) with a multiple light source up to 1/2 not functioning (4.3.1 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged wearing unevenly and cracking (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Front Wheel bearing has slight play (5.1.3 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Track rod end ball joint dust cover damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

underside suspension components corroded

Pass 13 Sep 2014 62,443 miles

BOTH FRONT TYRES WEARING UNEVEN ON INNER EDGES

SLIGHT PLAY IN O/S FRONT WHEEL BEARING

Pass 17 Aug 2013 61,834 miles

N/S rear bottom ball joint has small play

O/S front wheel bearing,small play.

Pass 29 Jun 2011 61,817 miles

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

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

Fail 28 Jun 2011 61,817 miles

Wheel nut(s) missing (4.2.A.1e)

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

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

Pass 4 Dec 2009 61,623 miles
Fail 25 Nov 2009 61,599 miles

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

Pass 30 Oct 2008 57,292 miles
Pass 7 Nov 2007 45,098 miles
Fail 3 Nov 2007 45,098 miles

Hazard warning switch faulty (1.4.B.1d)

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar has excessive play in a pin/bush (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Offside Headlamp not in good working order adversely affecting beam image (1.2.4a)

Pass 2 Nov 2006 35,424 miles
Pass 4 Nov 2005 30,341 miles
Fail 28 Oct 2005 30,229 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust has a part missing (7.1.1a)

Headlamp aim too high when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

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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R20 ELE is a 1997 Lotus Elise in Silver with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 15 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 R20 ELE, 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 R20 ELE?

You can check the full history of R20 ELE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R20 ELE registered?

R20 ELE is a 1997 Lotus Elise, first registered on 14 October 1997.

Is R20 ELE safe to buy?

The MOT history for R20 ELE shows 15 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R20 ELE 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 R20 ELE. 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.