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SO04 TJU

2004 Lotus Elise

Yellow Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 May 2027
Tests25 (18 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate72%

Mileage

22,746 mi
Last recorded22,746 miles
Recorded on12 May 2026
Typical for 2004 Lotus Elise34,392 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

RegistrationSO04 TJU
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2004
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

18 pass 7 fail
Pass 12 May 2026 22,746 miles

Both front brake discs surface rust on inside face

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has light misting of oil (5.3.2 (b))

Pass 21 Mar 2025 22,513 miles
Pass 12 Mar 2024 21,261 miles
Fail 4 Mar 2024 21,245 miles

Horn not working (7.7 (a))

Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened All brake disc's on vehicle inner surface slight corrosion. (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Pass 28 Jun 2023 15,939 miles
Pass 25 May 2022 15,300 miles
Fail 17 May 2022 15,298 miles

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

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Nearside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Offside Rear Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of a single lamp or all lamps (4.7.1 (b) (ii))

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (3.4 (b) (ii))

Pass 22 Mar 2019 14,860 miles
Fail 20 Mar 2019 14,860 miles

Speedometer clearly inoperative (7.8 (b) (ii))

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

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

Pass 27 Mar 2018 14,359 miles

Front front bumper underneath damaged/holed/cracked at number plate support area - still secure

Front wiper smearing but still adequate view to road

Pass 10 Apr 2017 13,774 miles
Pass 19 Apr 2016 13,648 miles
Pass 6 May 2015 13,727 miles

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

Pass 20 May 2014 12,615 miles
Fail 15 May 2014 12,606 miles

Offside Rear Upper Coil spring mounting corroded and seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

Nearside Rear Upper Coil spring mounting corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.C.3c)

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

hubs corroded

Pass 7 May 2013 11,944 miles
Pass 11 May 2012 11,791 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)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Fail 11 May 2012 11,790 miles

Front registration plate insecure (6.3.1b)

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)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 21 Apr 2011 11,488 miles

front registration plate broken and deteriorating

nail in n/s/f tyre

nail in n/s/r tyre

Fail 21 Apr 2011 11,488 miles

Horn not working (1.6.2a)

front registration plate broken and deteriorating

nail in n/s/f tyre

nail in n/s/r tyre

Pass 10 May 2010 10,969 miles
Fail 6 May 2010 10,964 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim not tested (1.8.A.1c)

Nearside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.5c)

Pass 7 May 2009 10,123 miles

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

Pass 25 Apr 2008 9,312 miles
Pass 12 Apr 2007 8,023 miles

Nearside Front brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly pitted (3.5.1h)

Offside Rear brake disc slightly scored (3.5.1h)

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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SO04 TJU is a 2004 Lotus Elise in Yellow with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 25 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 72%.

Across all 2004 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 83.9% with a typical mileage of 34,392 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 SO04 TJU, 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 22 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 SO04 TJU?

You can check the full history of SO04 TJU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was SO04 TJU registered?

SO04 TJU is a 2004 Lotus Elise, first registered on 6 May 2004.

Is SO04 TJU safe to buy?

The MOT history for SO04 TJU shows 25 tests with a 72% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does SO04 TJU 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 SO04 TJU. 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.