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E3 ELF

1999 Lotus Elise

Red Petrol 1796cc
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MOT Status

Valid
Expires5 Jun 2027
Tests23 (17 pass, 6 fail)
Pass rate73.9%

Mileage

70,891 mi
Last recorded70,891 miles
Recorded on5 Jun 2026
Typical for 1999 Lotus Elise46,666 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

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

RegistrationE3 ELF
MakeLotus
ModelElise
Year1999
ColourRed
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

17 pass 6 fail
Pass 5 Jun 2026 70,891 miles
Pass 6 Jun 2025 70,885 miles
Pass 26 Jun 2023 70,851 miles
Pass 21 Jun 2019 70,826 miles
Pass 12 Jul 2018 70,665 miles
Pass 22 Jun 2017 70,568 miles
Pass 23 Jun 2016 70,385 miles
Fail 11 Jun 2015 70,266 miles

Nearside Front position lamp(s) not working (1.1.A.3b)

Pass 11 Jun 2015 70,266 miles
Pass 16 Jun 2014 70,024 miles
Pass 20 Jun 2013 69,946 miles
Fail 8 Jun 2012 69,595 miles

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

Pass 8 Jun 2012 69,595 miles
Pass 25 May 2011 69,132 miles
Pass 29 May 2010 68,879 miles

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

brake pipes slightly surface corroded

offside front tyre worn on inside edge

rear number plate deteriorating

Fail 28 May 2010 68,879 miles

Nearside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Offside Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

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

brake pipes slightly surface corroded

offside front tyre worn on inside edge

rear number plate deteriorating

Pass 21 May 2009 63,681 miles
Fail 21 May 2009 63,681 miles

Nearside Front Shock absorber has a serious fluid leak (2.7.3)

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

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Offside Rear rear parking brake recording little or no effort (3.7.B.6a)

Stop lamp not working (1.2.1b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7) DANGEROUS

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

Nearside Rear 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)

front number plate damaged

offside mirror glass damaged

Pass 16 Jun 2008 61,012 miles
Pass 31 May 2007 57,800 miles
Fail 29 May 2007 57,800 miles

Nearside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Offside Rear fog lamp not working (1.3.2b)

Pass 22 May 2006 53,644 miles
Fail 18 May 2006 53,644 miles

Nearside Front Lower Front suspension has excessive play in a lower suspension ball joint (2.5.B.1a)

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

Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm has excessive play in a ball joint (2.4.G.2)

Rear position lamp(s) obviously incorrectly positioned (1.1.A.3a)

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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E3 ELF is a 1999 Lotus Elise in Red with a 1,796cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 23 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 73.9%.

Across all 1999 Lotus Elise models, the average MOT pass rate is 78.1% with a typical mileage of 46,666 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 E3 ELF, 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 27 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 E3 ELF?

You can check the full history of E3 ELF by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was E3 ELF registered?

E3 ELF is a 1999 Lotus Elise, first registered on 18 May 1999.

Is E3 ELF safe to buy?

The MOT history for E3 ELF shows 23 tests with a 73.9% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does E3 ELF 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 E3 ELF. 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.