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SN53 JXL

2003 Lotus Elise

Bronze Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires10 Feb 2027
Tests27 (20 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate74.1%

Mileage

107,220 mi
Last recorded107,220 miles
Recorded on11 Feb 2026
Typical for 2003 Lotus Elise33,657 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationSN53 JXL
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2003
ColourBronze
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

20 pass 7 fail
Pass 11 Feb 2026 107,220 miles

Nearside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Offside Front Seat belt webbing slightly damaged or frayed (7.1.2 (b))

Offside Rear Coil spring corroded (5.3.1 (b) (i))

Pass 7 Feb 2025 105,478 miles
Fail 6 Feb 2025 105,478 miles

Emissions unable to be completed vehicle getting to hot (8.2.1.2 (d))

Fail 12 Dec 2024 105,477 miles

Emissions unable to be completed vehicle getting too hot (8.2.1.2 (d))

Nearside Front Steering rack gaiter missing or no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (ii))

Offside Front Inner Drive shaft joint constant velocity boot split or insecure, no longer prevents the ingress of dirt (6.1.7 (g) (ii))

Pass 21 Dec 2023 103,636 miles
Pass 15 Dec 2022 101,065 miles
Pass 20 Dec 2021 99,112 miles
Fail 20 Dec 2021 99,111 miles

Offside Front Headlamp aim not tested (4.1.2 (b))

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 17 Dec 2020 98,637 miles
Fail 16 Dec 2020 98,637 miles

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

Pass 22 Nov 2019 97,731 miles
Fail 20 Nov 2019 97,731 miles

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

Nearside Inner Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Pass 13 Nov 2018 96,788 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect (5.3.2 (b))

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

all four tyres wearing on edges

all suspension components have surface corrosion

Pass 4 Dec 2017 96,080 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

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

both front tyres wearing on inner edges

Pass 1 Nov 2016 95,511 miles

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 2 Nov 2015 94,316 miles

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

both front tyres wearing on inner edges

Pass 22 Oct 2014 90,420 miles

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Fail 22 Oct 2014 90,418 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

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

Offside Front Track rod end ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.2.C.1c)

Pass 1 Nov 2013 88,867 miles
Pass 25 Oct 2012 84,477 miles

Front registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread (6.3.1d)

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

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage has slight play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

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

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

Pass 3 Oct 2011 79,583 miles

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

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

all 4 brake discs slightly lipped/corroded

front number plate cracked

osf lower anti roll bar link ball joint gaiter split

Fail 3 Oct 2011 79,583 miles

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

Offside Headlamp aim too low (1.8)

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

all 4 brake discs slightly lipped/corroded

front number plate cracked

osf lower anti roll bar link ball joint gaiter split

Pass 1 Oct 2010 73,309 miles
Pass 1 Oct 2009 61,002 miles
Pass 29 Oct 2008 49,176 miles

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

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

Pass 19 Sep 2007 33,191 miles
Pass 7 Sep 2006 22,674 miles

Offside Inner 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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SN53 JXL is a 2003 Lotus Elise in Bronze with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 27 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 74.1%.

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 SN53 JXL, 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 SN53 JXL?

You can check the full history of SN53 JXL by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was SN53 JXL registered?

SN53 JXL is a 2003 Lotus Elise, first registered on 1 September 2003.

Is SN53 JXL safe to buy?

The MOT history for SN53 JXL shows 27 tests with a 74.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does SN53 JXL 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 SN53 JXL. 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.