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W257 RAA

2000 Lotus Elise

Purple Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Expired
Expires10 Dec 2025
Tests26 (19 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate73.1%

Mileage

58,419 mi
Last recorded58,419 miles
Recorded on18 Dec 2025
Typical for 2000 Lotus Elise39,929 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

RegistrationW257 RAA
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2000
ColourPurple
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

19 pass 7 fail
Fail 18 Dec 2025 58,419 miles

Exhaust Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (8.2.1.2 (c))

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

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

Offside Headlamp not working on main beam (4.1.1 (a) (ii))

Position lamp switch does not illuminate the front and rear position lamps with a single operation (4.2.2 (a))

Pass 3 Dec 2024 57,809 miles
Pass 5 Dec 2023 57,138 miles
Pass 6 Dec 2022 56,127 miles
Pass 9 Dec 2021 53,872 miles

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases flexi (6.1.2 (a))

Pass 8 Dec 2020
Pass 11 Jun 2019 50,807 miles

Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge both sides (5.2.3 (e))

slight play in steering

Pass 15 May 2018 48,536 miles

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

coolant level low

front to rear under trays fitted

nearside front tyre has slight damage to side wall

Fail 15 May 2018 48,536 miles

Nearside Front Front wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.5.A.2)

Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

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

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

coolant level low

front to rear under trays fitted

nearside front tyre has slight damage to side wall

Pass 30 May 2017 46,890 miles

Nearside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Front coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Offside Rear coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Oil leak ()

Pass 25 May 2016 45,113 miles

Oil leak.

Pass 1 Jun 2015 43,610 miles

Oil leak

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Fail 1 Jun 2015 43,610 miles

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

coil spring corroded (2.4.C.1b)

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Rear fog lamp emits a light other than red (1.3.2e)

Oil leak

Pass 5 Jun 2014 41,615 miles
Pass 29 May 2013 39,775 miles
Pass 22 May 2012 38,920 miles
Pass 6 May 2011 36,593 miles
Pass 4 Jun 2010 34,696 miles
Pass 27 May 2009 33,220 miles
Fail 26 May 2009 33,220 miles

Offside Rear wheel bearing rough when rotated (2.6.1)

Pass 22 May 2008 31,754 miles
Fail 21 May 2008 31,694 miles

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Nearside Front Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings (2.2.B.1h) DANGEROUS

Pass 16 May 2007 28,911 miles

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

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

slight play ns side rod

Fail 9 May 2007 28,799 miles

Nearside Front Direction indicator not working (1.4.A.2c)

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

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

slight play in os and ns steering side rods

Pass 2 Jun 2006 25,872 miles
Fail 31 May 2006 25,872 miles

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

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

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

non obligatory mirror damaged

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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W257 RAA is a 2000 Lotus Elise in Purple with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 26 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.1%.

Across all 2000 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 80.0% with a typical mileage of 39,929 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 W257 RAA, 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 26 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 W257 RAA?

You can check the full history of W257 RAA by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was W257 RAA registered?

W257 RAA is a 2000 Lotus Elise, first registered on 31 May 2000.

Is W257 RAA safe to buy?

The MOT history for W257 RAA shows 26 tests with a 73.1% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does W257 RAA 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 W257 RAA. 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.