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S480 DVA

1999 Lotus Elise

Yellow Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires8 Jan 2027
Tests27 (21 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

158,995 mi
Last recorded158,995 miles
Recorded on9 Jan 2026
Typical for 1999 Lotus Elise46,666 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationS480 DVA
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1999
ColourYellow
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

21 pass 6 fail
Pass 9 Jan 2026 158,995 miles
Pass 7 Jan 2025 157,912 miles
Pass 9 Jan 2024 156,524 miles
Pass 21 Dec 2022 155,527 miles

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge feathered/stepped wear (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge feathered/stepped wear (5.2.3 (e))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 16 Dec 2022 155,522 miles

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

Offside Rear Inner Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Fail 16 Dec 2022 155,522 miles

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

Offside Rear Inner Tyre has a cut but not deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

Pass 16 Dec 2021 152,778 miles

Nearside Rear 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 Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 16 Dec 2021 152,777 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear 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 Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 1 Dec 2020 148,872 miles

Nearside Rear 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 Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 27 Nov 2020 148,871 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear 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 Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Pass 9 Dec 2019 145,385 miles

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

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 17 Dec 2018 140,522 miles

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 29 Nov 2017 137,390 miles

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

Pass 13 Dec 2016 134,742 miles

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

both rear tyres wearing on inner edge

Pass 15 Dec 2015 131,316 miles
Pass 10 Dec 2014 127,930 miles
Pass 4 Dec 2013 121,000 miles
Pass 20 Nov 2012 113,113 miles
Pass 21 Nov 2011 105,198 miles
Pass 23 Nov 2010 98,327 miles
Fail 22 Nov 2010 98,321 miles

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)

Pass 7 Dec 2009 90,576 miles
Pass 16 Dec 2008 83,768 miles

front number plate cracked

Fail 15 Dec 2008 83,739 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

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

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

front number plate cracked

Pass 8 Dec 2007 75,844 miles

front suspension top bushes seperating

screen chipped n/s

Pass 9 Dec 2006 67,971 miles

Offside Front Rear wheel bearing has slight play (2.6.2)

Pass 10 Dec 2005 58,949 miles

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

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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S480 DVA is a 1999 Lotus Elise in Yellow with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 1999 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.1% with a typical mileage of 46,666 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 S480 DVA, 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 27 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 S480 DVA?

You can check the full history of S480 DVA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S480 DVA registered?

S480 DVA is a 1999 Lotus Elise, first registered on 5 January 1999.

Is S480 DVA safe to buy?

The MOT history for S480 DVA shows 27 tests with a 77.8% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S480 DVA 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 S480 DVA. 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.