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R739 YLC

1998 Lotus Elise

Blue Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires1 May 2027
Tests25 (19 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate76%

Mileage

51,160 mi
Last recorded51,160 miles
Recorded on30 Apr 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

RegistrationR739 YLC
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

19 pass 6 fail
Pass 30 Apr 2026 51,160 miles

Front Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases flex (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 2 May 2025 49,825 miles
Pass 27 Jun 2024 48,924 miles
Pass 22 Aug 2023 46,971 miles

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

Pass 27 Jul 2022 44,456 miles
Pass 26 Aug 2021 42,480 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2020 42,413 miles
Pass 19 Jun 2019 42,203 miles
Pass 8 Jun 2018 41,900 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2017 41,743 miles
Pass 18 Jun 2016 41,450 miles

Undertrays covering underside of vehicle not allowing full inspection underside of vehicle

Fail 18 Jun 2016 41,450 miles

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Undertrays covering underside of vehicle not allowing full inspection underside of vehicle

Pass 8 Jul 2015 40,721 miles

Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 19 Jul 2014 45,006 miles

All suspension arms and coil springs generally slightly corroded.

Pass 3 Feb 2012 39,155 miles

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 3 Feb 2012 39,155 miles

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

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

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

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

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 4 Feb 2011 37,791 miles

nsf brake disc slightly scored

underbody covered in metal pannels not much visability to major components

Pass 1 Dec 2009 35,571 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

full underside of car covered in metal pannels

Fail 1 Dec 2009 35,571 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

full underside of car covered in metal pannels

Fail 18 Dec 2008 32,609 miles

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

Nearside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

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

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Rear Brake cable has wires broken and is significantly weakened (3.5.1b)

front suspension subframe and associated components generally surface corroded but not significantly weakened

Pass 18 Dec 2008 32,609 miles

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

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

front suspension subframe and associated components generally surface corroded but not significantly weakened

Pass 14 Dec 2007 29,268 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2007 29,265 miles

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

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Offside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (4.1.E.1)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Steering column universal joint has excessive play (2.1.5)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

Pass 21 Sep 2006 26,087 miles
Fail 19 Sep 2006 26,085 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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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R739 YLC is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Blue 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 R739 YLC, 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 R739 YLC?

You can check the full history of R739 YLC by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R739 YLC registered?

R739 YLC is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 17 April 1998.

Is R739 YLC safe to buy?

The MOT history for R739 YLC 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 R739 YLC 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 R739 YLC. 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.