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R35 OTT

1998 Lotus Elise

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires9 Jul 2027
Tests16 (11 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate68.8%

Mileage

52,594 mi
Last recorded52,594 miles
Recorded on10 Jul 2026
Typical for 1998 Lotus Elise48,523 mi

Below or average mileage for this year

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

RegistrationR35 OTT
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1998
ColourBlue
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

11 pass 5 fail
Pass 10 Jul 2026 52,594 miles

Offside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 6 Jul 2026 52,594 miles

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

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 manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (5.3.4 (b) (ii))

Offside Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

Offside Front Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Upper Suspension component ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 20 Jun 2025 52,571 miles

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Fail 18 Jun 2025 52,571 miles

All direction indicators not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Exhaust hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle exceeds default limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

Windscreen washer not working (3.5 (a))

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Offside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 27 May 2022 52,559 miles

Lower Steering column universal joint has slight wear or play (2.2.2 (c))

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

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

undertrays fitted not allowing full inspection

Pass 11 Sep 2015 52,555 miles

Offside Upper Front suspension has slight play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

slight oil leak

slight play in both inner steering rack joints

slight play in lower steering column joint

undertrays fitted

Fail 25 Aug 2015 52,555 miles

Exhaust engine idle speed too high (7.3.D.1)

Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

Nearside Front Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords perished (4.1.D.1a)

Nearside Side repeater insecure (1.4.A.2b)

Offside Front Brake hose has insufficient room to move, resulting in fouling on any part (3.6.B.4a)

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

Offside Side repeater not working (1.4.A.2c)

Steering system excessively tight (2.2.D.1)

Offside Front suspension has slight play in a upper suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

play in both inner steering rack joints

slight oil leak

undertrays fitted

Pass 3 Jul 2014 51,092 miles

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

both front tyres perished!

slight movement in offside steering arm!

Fail 30 Jun 2014 51,092 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

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

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

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

both front tyres perished!

slight movement in offside steering arm!

Pass 3 Aug 2012 50,369 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Offside Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

both front tyres cracked and perished

n.s.r tyre worn on inner sidewall

Pass 5 Aug 2011 46,311 miles

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

both front tyres perishing!

Fail 3 Aug 2011 46,311 miles

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

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

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

both front tyres perishing!

Pass 8 Dec 2009 43,757 miles

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

nearside and offside track rod end ball joint dust covers split

Pass 13 Jul 2008 40,169 miles
Pass 18 Apr 2007 37,366 miles
Pass 6 Apr 2006 35,082 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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R35 OTT is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Blue with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 16 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.8%.

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 R35 OTT, 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 R35 OTT?

You can check the full history of R35 OTT by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R35 OTT registered?

R35 OTT is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 30 May 1998.

Is R35 OTT safe to buy?

The MOT history for R35 OTT shows 16 tests with a 68.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R35 OTT 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 R35 OTT. 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.