CarVerify

Free Car Check

R686 HHO

1998 Lotus Elise

Silver Petrol 1796cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Valid
Expires19 Jul 2027
Tests20 (15 pass, 5 fail)
Pass rate75%

Mileage

45,612 mi
Last recorded45,612 miles
Recorded on20 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
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationR686 HHO
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

15 pass 5 fail
Pass 20 Jul 2026 45,612 miles

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

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

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

Pass 25 Jun 2025 44,276 miles

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

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

Pass 16 Nov 2022 44,251 miles

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

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

Fail 7 Nov 2022 44,246 miles

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

Exhaust carbon monoxide content at idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (b))

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

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

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

Pass 13 Oct 2021 43,729 miles

Front Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

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

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

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

Pass 17 Dec 2019 42,989 miles
Pass 2 Oct 2018 40,794 miles
Pass 12 Sep 2017 38,873 miles

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

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

Rear Inner Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 30 Oct 2013 38,709 miles

Nearside Outer Front Lower Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

fuel cap damaged but correct seal okay.

o/s front tyre low on pressure looking.

Fail 30 Oct 2013 38,709 miles

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

Nearside Outer Front Lower Anti-roll bar has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

fuel cap damaged but correct seal okay.

o/s front tyre low on pressure looking.

Pass 2 Nov 2012 38,469 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 2 Nov 2012 38,469 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Nearside Front Upper Suspension arm ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

Offside Headlamp damaged but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

o/s front tyre low on pressure.

Pass 3 Nov 2011 37,868 miles

underbody areas shielded from view.

Fail 1 Nov 2011 37,831 miles

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

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has a slightly reduced damping effect (2.7.5)

underbody areas shielded from view.

Pass 2 Nov 2010 36,668 miles

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

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

underbody areas shielded from view

Pass 1 Oct 2009 36,045 miles

Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (3.5.1i)

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

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 10mm circle within zone 'A' (8.3.1a)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

rear number plate started to deteriorate

Pass 29 Jul 2008 34,539 miles
Fail 28 Jul 2008 34,539 miles

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

Pass 30 Jul 2007 33,050 miles

N/S mirror glass cracked

Pass 8 Mar 2006 31,854 miles

NSRdisc worn.

OS headlamp poor.

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

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

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.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

R686 HHO is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Silver with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 75%.

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 R686 HHO, 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 R686 HHO?

You can check the full history of R686 HHO by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R686 HHO registered?

R686 HHO is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 25 June 1998.

Is R686 HHO safe to buy?

The MOT history for R686 HHO shows 20 tests with a 75% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R686 HHO 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 R686 HHO. 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.