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W971 ADW

2000 Lotus Elise

Black Petrol 1996cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Jul 2027
Tests21 (14 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate66.7%

Mileage

104,416 mi
Last recorded104,416 miles
Recorded on6 Jul 2026
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

RegistrationW971 ADW
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year2000
ColourBlack
Fuel typePetrol
Engine1,996cc

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 7 fail
Pass 6 Jul 2026 104,416 miles
Pass 13 Jun 2025 98,627 miles
Pass 17 Mar 2021 98,050 miles

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Fail 17 Mar 2021 98,050 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

Rear fog lamp not working (4.5.1 (a) (ii))

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Pass 22 Jun 2018 97,111 miles
Fail 13 Jun 2018 97,050 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (4.1.2 (a))

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

Service brake efficiency below requirements (1.2.2 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Offside Rear Service brake has no recorded effort at a wheel (1.2.1 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Parking brake efficiency less than 50% of the required value (1.4.2 (a) (ii)) DANGEROUS

Central Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute repeater (4.4.4 (a))

Nearside Rear Parking brake Unable to roller test due to footbrake very low effort but locks manually

Offside Front Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

Offside Rear Direction indicator flashing more than 120 times a minute (4.4.4 (a))

Offside Rear Park brake Unable to roller test due to footbrake very low effort but locks manually

Pass 25 May 2017 96,364 miles
Fail 11 May 2017 96,290 miles

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

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Nearside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

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

Nearside rear brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front Headlamp not working on main beam (1.7.5a)

Offside Front registration plate missing (6.3.1a)

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

Rear fog lamp tell tale not working (1.3.1b)

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (8.2.3)

front parking (secondary) brake imbalance requirements only just met. It would appear that the braking system requires adjustment or repair. (3.7.B.6b)

Pass 29 Feb 2016 95,815 miles

slight play in steering rack inner joints

undertrays fitted

Pass 15 Oct 2014 95,066 miles

Parking brake lever has little reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 4 Oct 2013 93,261 miles

Nearside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Offside Headlamp deteriorated but light output not reduced (1.7.5a)

Play in steering rack inner joint(s)

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components

Pass 15 Oct 2012 93,024 miles

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Fail 9 Oct 2012 92,880 miles

Nearside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1b)

Pass 29 Sep 2011 90,773 miles
Pass 9 Oct 2010 89,294 miles
Fail 10 Sep 2010 89,287 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

Pass 11 Sep 2009 81,793 miles

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

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

Fail 8 Sep 2009 81,759 miles

Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits (7.3.D.3)

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content at idle excessive (7.3.D.4)

Front registration plate deteriorated (6.3.1d)

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

Nearside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

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

Offside Headlamp aim too high (1.8)

Rear Exhaust has a major leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

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

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

Pass 10 Sep 2008 72,790 miles

both rear tyres on limit

Pass 18 Aug 2006 68,147 miles
Fail 20 Jul 2006 68,103 miles

Nearside Rear Shock absorber has negligible damping effect (2.7.5)

Offside Rear Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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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W971 ADW is a 2000 Lotus Elise in Black with a 1,996cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 21 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 66.7%.

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 W971 ADW, 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 W971 ADW?

You can check the full history of W971 ADW by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was W971 ADW registered?

W971 ADW is a 2000 Lotus Elise, first registered on 28 July 2000.

Is W971 ADW safe to buy?

The MOT history for W971 ADW shows 21 tests with a 66.7% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does W971 ADW 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 W971 ADW. 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.