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R803 ENM

1998 Lotus Elise

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Sep 2026
Tests22 (15 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate68.2%

Mileage

67,572 mi
Last recorded67,572 miles
Recorded on9 Sep 2025
Typical for 1998 Lotus Elise48,523 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

RegistrationR803 ENM
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1998
ColourRed
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 7 fail
Pass 9 Sep 2025 67,572 miles
Fail 30 Aug 2025 67,570 miles

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

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

Pass 9 Jul 2024 65,741 miles
Pass 2 Jun 2023 64,932 miles

Offside Play in steering rack inner joint(s) slight ()

Pass 25 May 2022 63,788 miles

Items removed from driver's view prior to test ()

under trays fitted

Fail 12 May 2022 63,776 miles

Brake performance not tested (1.2.1 (g))

Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover excessively damaged or deteriorated so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Parking brake lever inoperative (1.1.6 (d))

Items removed from driver's view prior to test ()

under trays fitted

Pass 21 Apr 2021 61,948 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2019 61,741 miles
Fail 6 Jun 2019 61,692 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Suspension arm ball joint excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Pass 29 May 2018 60,905 miles
Pass 15 Jun 2017 59,994 miles
Fail 2 Jun 2017 59,994 miles

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

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

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Nearside Front Headlamp insecure (1.7.3)

Nearside Front Upper Front suspension ball joint dust cover excessively damaged so that it no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Stop lamp remains on when the brakes are released (1.2.1e)

Nearside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Pass 1 May 2013 56,248 miles

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

Fail 12 Apr 2013 56,247 miles

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

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

Nearside Rear coil spring fractured (2.4.C.1a)

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

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

Pass 14 Mar 2012 50,675 miles

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

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

Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

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

Fail 13 Mar 2012 50,673 miles

Nearside Rear Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2) DANGEROUS

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

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

Steering pivot point has slight play (2.2.B.1g)

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

hand brake cables catching rear wheels .

Pass 23 Mar 2011 47,225 miles

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

Pass 7 Oct 2009 48,043 miles
Pass 14 Mar 2008 37,613 miles

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

Pass 27 Mar 2007 34,933 miles

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

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

Fail 21 Oct 2005 30,240 miles

Nearside Rear Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Pass 21 Oct 2005 30,240 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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R803 ENM is a 1998 Lotus Elise in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 22 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 68.2%.

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 R803 ENM, 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 R803 ENM?

You can check the full history of R803 ENM by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was R803 ENM registered?

R803 ENM is a 1998 Lotus Elise, first registered on 1 April 1998.

Is R803 ENM safe to buy?

The MOT history for R803 ENM shows 22 tests with a 68.2% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does R803 ENM 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 R803 ENM. 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.