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R421 ENE

1998 Lotus Elise

Silver Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires18 Aug 2026
Tests22 (14 pass, 8 fail)
Pass rate63.6%

Mileage

70,332 mi
Last recorded70,332 miles
Recorded on19 Aug 2025
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

RegistrationR421 ENE
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1998
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

14 pass 8 fail
Pass 19 Aug 2025 70,332 miles

Nearside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Offside Headlamp reflector slightly defective (4.1.1 (b) (i))

Pass 11 Jul 2024 70,276 miles
Pass 12 Dec 2022 69,821 miles

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

Nearside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover severely deteriorated (5.3.4 (b) (i))

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

Offside Rear Outer Suspension rod ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

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

Rear Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 16 Nov 2016 65,758 miles
Fail 10 Nov 2016 65,725 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Pass 13 Nov 2015 59,989 miles
Fail 23 Oct 2015 59,986 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

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

Pass 3 Oct 2014 56,666 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Fail 22 Sep 2014 56,665 miles

Offside Rear rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a light misting of oil (2.7.3)

Pass 20 Sep 2013 52,933 miles

Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Nearside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

Offside Rear Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrules (3.6.B.4e)

advise slight bind to nearside rear brake

Pass 8 Aug 2012 46,850 miles

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

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

advise front number plate loose

Fail 31 Jul 2012 46,836 miles

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

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

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

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

advise front number plate loose

Fail 27 Jul 2012 46,811 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Nearside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Brake hose excessively deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

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

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

front no. plate loose

Pass 19 Jul 2011 44,165 miles
Pass 13 Jul 2010 42,021 miles

advise nail in nearside front tyre

Fail 6 Jul 2010 42,006 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

advise nail in nearside front tyre

Pass 17 Mar 2009 38,878 miles
Fail 16 Mar 2009 38,867 miles

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Pass 20 Mar 2008 36,167 miles
Fail 20 Mar 2008 36,167 miles

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Pass 20 Mar 2007 33,084 miles
Pass 16 Mar 2006 28,366 miles

cracks in near side top front suspension joint rubber

near side rear tyre starting to wear

surface rust on both front coil springs

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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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.

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R421 ENE is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Silver with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 63.6%.

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 R421 ENE, 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 R421 ENE?

You can check the full history of R421 ENE by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R421 ENE registered?

R421 ENE is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 13 May 1998.

Is R421 ENE safe to buy?

The MOT history for R421 ENE shows 22 tests with a 63.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R421 ENE 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 R421 ENE. 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.