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AO51 APU

2001 Lotus Exige

Black Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires11 Jul 2026
Tests23 (16 pass, 7 fail)
Pass rate69.6%

Mileage

26,430 mi
Last recorded26,430 miles
Recorded on2 Jul 2025
Typical for 2001 Lotus Exige26,625 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

RegistrationAO51 APU
MakeLotus
ModelExige
Year2001
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

16 pass 7 fail
Pass 2 Jul 2025 26,430 miles

Front Inner Brake disc worn, but not excessively no both sides (1.1.14 (a) (i))

Pass 12 Jul 2024 25,676 miles
Pass 6 Jul 2023 23,971 miles
Pass 7 Jul 2022 23,269 miles

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Fail 6 Jul 2022 23,267 miles

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

Offside Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Nearside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge worn on inner edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

Pass 8 May 2021 22,822 miles

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

Nearside Rear Inner Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

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

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

Pass 4 Jun 2020 21,959 miles

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Undertrays fitted

Fail 4 Jun 2020 21,959 miles

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

Nearside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

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

Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

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

Undertrays fitted

Pass 4 Dec 2018 21,572 miles
Fail 30 Nov 2018 21,572 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 Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

Offside Front Headlamp aim projected beam image is obviously incorrect (4.1.2 (c))

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

Pass 22 Dec 2017 20,785 miles

Advise both front tyres perished and starting to split

Pass 12 Dec 2016 20,348 miles
Pass 27 Aug 2015 20,206 miles
Fail 20 Aug 2015 20,205 miles

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

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

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

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

Front registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Front registration plate displaying a honeycomb or similar effect background (6.3.3)

Rear registration plate character(s) incorrectly spaced (6.3.4a)

Rear registration plate displaying a honeycomb or similar effect background (6.3.3)

Pass 7 Aug 2014 19,709 miles
Fail 7 Aug 2014 19,708 miles

Emissions not tested (7.0)

Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition (7.1.4)

Front registration plate displaying a honeycomb or similar effect background (6.3.3)

Offside Headlamp not working on dipped beam (1.7.5a)

Rear registration plate displaying a honeycomb or similar effect background (6.3.3)

registration plate character(s) laid out in an incorrect format (6.3.4f)

Pass 7 May 2010 19,610 miles
Fail 6 May 2010 19,602 miles

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

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

Front registration plate margin less than the minimum requirement (6.3.4g)

Pass 22 Apr 2009 18,860 miles
Pass 1 May 2008 18,230 miles
Pass 9 May 2007 17,181 miles
Fail 9 May 2007 17,181 miles

Front Windscreen wiper does not clear the windscreen effectively (8.2.2)

Pass 4 May 2006 16,214 miles

How Reliable is the Lotus Exige?

Based on 20,795 MOT tests across 2,298 vehicles.

86.5%
Pass Rate
1,345
Miles/Year
26
Year Lifespan
2,298
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 417
Headlamp aim too high 214
Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive 205
Exhaust emissions Lambda reading after 2nd fast idle outside specified limits 178
Headlamp aim too low 155
Full Lotus Exige reliability report

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AO51 APU is a 2001 Lotus Exige in Black with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 69.6%.

Across all 2001 Lotus Exige models, the average MOT pass rate is 82.6% with a typical mileage of 26,625 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 Exige fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 417 recorded failures. If you're considering buying AO51 APU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The Lotus Exige typically stays on UK roads for around 26 years. At 25 years old, this Lotus Exige is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of AO51 APU?

You can check the full history of AO51 APU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was AO51 APU registered?

AO51 APU is a 2001 Lotus Exige, first registered on 28 November 2001.

Is AO51 APU safe to buy?

The MOT history for AO51 APU shows 23 tests with a 69.6% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does AO51 APU 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 AO51 APU. 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.