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SJI 9278

2003 Lotus Elise

Black Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Jul 2026
Tests18 (14 pass, 4 fail)
Pass rate77.8%

Mileage

71,187 mi
Last recorded71,187 miles
Recorded on11 Jul 2025
Typical for 2003 Lotus Elise33,657 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationSJI 9278
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
ColourBlack
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 4 fail
Pass 11 Jul 2025 71,187 miles
Pass 5 Jul 2024 69,698 miles

Offside Front Inner Track rod end ball joint has slight play (2.1.3 (b) (i))

Fail 18 Jun 2024 69,655 miles

Exhaust carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle exceeds manufacturer's specified limits (8.2.1.2 (a))

Nearside Rear Parking brake inoperative on one side (1.4.1 (a))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Parking brake lever has excessive movement indicating incorrect adjustment (1.1.6 (c))

Indicator switch faulty (4.4.2 (a) (i))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s) ()

Fail 3 Apr 2024 69,639 miles

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Nearside Front Headlamp light source and lamp not compatible (4.1.4 (c))

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

Steering rack has excessive free play detected at the steering wheel (steering rack fitted) (2.3 (a) (i))

Central Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (6.1.2 (a))

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

Front and rear suspension components corroded

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

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

Pass 25 Oct 2022 69,491 miles

Steering rack has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.3 (a) (i))

Pass 10 Feb 2018 69,119 miles
Pass 4 Feb 2017 68,363 miles
Pass 6 Feb 2016 67,880 miles
Pass 10 Feb 2015 66,728 miles

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 5 Feb 2015 66,684 miles

All position lamps not working (1.1.A.3b)

Nearside Headlamp aim beam image obviously incorrect (1.8.A.1b)

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

Offside Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

Offside Headlamp aim too high and too far to the right. (1.8)

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

Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

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

Pass 28 Nov 2013 64,578 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

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

Offside Rear Shock absorber has slight corrosion to the casing (2.7.2a)

Pass 29 Oct 2011 62,473 miles

Offside Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

both front tyres close to legal limit

both rear tyres ON legal limit

Pass 30 Oct 2010 60,748 miles

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

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

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

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

Pass 18 Aug 2009 51,592 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)

Pass 11 Sep 2008 48,709 miles

Both front tyres worn on inside edge.

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

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

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

Pass 5 Jul 2007 38,458 miles
Fail 4 Jul 2007 38,458 miles

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

Oil just above the minimum

Oil leak

Pass 22 Jun 2006 28,488 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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SJI 9278 is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Black with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 18 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 77.8%.

Across all 2003 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.4% with a typical mileage of 33,657 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 SJI 9278, 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 23 years old, this Lotus Elise is well into its expected lifespan but still has years ahead.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of SJI 9278?

You can check the full history of SJI 9278 by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was SJI 9278 registered?

SJI 9278 is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 11 July 2003.

Is SJI 9278 safe to buy?

The MOT history for SJI 9278 shows 18 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 SJI 9278 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 SJI 9278. 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.